Your All I Have
by BlackHelix
Summary: 10 years ago Regina drunkingly declared her feelings for Emma Swan resulting in the Charmings and Emma kicking her out of town. Now 10 years later Regina returns - engaged and Emma finally realizes what she did wrong. But is it too late to fix her mistakes? Is it too late to win back Regina's heart and secure the only happy ending she wants? The only Happy Ending she's ever wanted?
1. Welcome To Storybrooke

**Disclaimer - Don't own Once Upon A Time or Snow Patrols 'Your All I Have' which is what this story will base itself around.**

**XXX**

"Mom what's Storybrooke like?"

Regina looked from the road in front of her to the rear view mirror to see the daughter she shared with the blonde woman beside her. Ocean. They'd named her that because her eyes were the color of the Ocean and because Regina had to refrain from calling her Emma. _Emma 10 years, 3 months, 5 days. It had been so long since she had left Storybrooke and Emma behind. So long since Emma and the Charmings had forced her out of Storybrooke._

"Mom?"

Regina shook her head and snapped herself out of her head and glanced from the rearview mirror down to her fiancee. Kyler Haevan. The woman who had picked up the pieces of her heart and mended it. She was her life. Perhaps being kicked out of Storybrooke was a welcome blessing.

"It's small and quiet dear. Now remember we will only be there a few days. Just long enough for me to sell the house."

"Can we still go sight seeing?" Ocean asked from the backseat that looked as if a mini-cyclone had passed through.

The floor Regina noted was littered with wrappers and the backseat was littered with toys and electronics that had helped to keep Ocean busy during the drive from LA to Maine. From one side of the country to the next.

"We had better." Kyler popped up from the passenger seat and grin plastered on her face as she stared blurry eyed at the rearview mirror to where her daughter sat. A quick look at Regina and she leant over to give the woman a small peck on the cheek, "Want me to drive? Give you some sleep."

Regina shook her head, "No I'll be fine." She smiled warmly at the other woman, "You look so adorable when you wake up."

"Uh? Are you two going to go all mushy again?" Ocean asked from the backseat, "Because I think I left my headphones back in Ohio."

Regina chuckled along with her fiancee sitting next to her.

Perhaps leaving Storybrooke really was the best thing that happened to her - check that. Perhaps being forced out of Storybrooke was the best thing to happen to her...

**10 Years Earlier**

_Stupid, adorable, frustratingly beautiful Emma _she thought as yet another wine glass shattered in her hand. That was the fourth today. Not to mention the previous days. It was all over the blonde who had come into town and ruined everything and in a matter of months had finally managed to work her way into Regina's heart. Regina couldn't deny it she loved Emma. Hell she even loved that red jacket and that broken down bug off the blondes.

Looking from the shattered glass on the floor in front of her to the remaining wine glasses laying on the table in the dining room she lifted the bottle to her lips sparing the poor glasses from unfortunate accidents at the hands of the brunette.

There were times when she had caught the blonde looking at her longingly. There were times when she would swear up and down that Emma felt the same way about her that she did but there was always that annoying voice in the back of her head that knew the truth, that told her that she wasn't worthy of Emma. Not after everything she did. Happy ending weren't for evil people.

Half way through her fourth bottle of wine she picked up her phone and drunk dialed the first number she had on speed dial. The very number she remembered of by heart. The very number of the very person she couldn't stop thinking off.

"Hello?" Emma's voice sounded giddy and happy as if she had been laughing only moments ago.

"Why? Why did you have to come to Storybrooke? Why couldn't you just stay away? Why couldn't you keep away from me? Away from Henry? Why..." she choked slightly, "Why did you have to work your way into my heart? Why did you have to make me love you?"

"Uh Regina, now might not be-"

"No shut up Miss Swan! Shut Emma! God your so frustrating. How could I love someone as frustrating as you? Do you know what you do to me? Whenever I see you with what's his face and the other whats his face?" Regina pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it for a few minutes. "Why do I have to love you?" With that said barely above a whisper she hung up.

Morning came just as quickly as night had and Regina found herself lying awkwardly on the couch wine bottles astrewn around her. She had a pounding headache and her muscles ached everyone of them each and everyone. She felt as if she had thrown herself into a destruction derby the night before. The thumping continued getting louder with each passing second before Regina realized it wasn't just her head doing the thumping - the door was being knocked on or rather banged down.

Getting up on shaken drunked legs she made her way towards the door. "I'm coming!" Regina called out to whoever was on the opposite side of that door. That door that sounded very much like her head. She yanked open the door to the Charming family all of them with the exception of Neal. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah. Pack your bags your leaving." Charming said with venom in his voice.

"Excuse me?"

"You have the audacity to ring my daughter up and tell her your in love with her."

Regina blinked a few times. Had she done that? She couldn't remember all she remembered was another shattered glass and then waking up to her door being banged down. "What are you talking about?"

Neal answered for everyone, "You rang Emma last night and declared your love for her. Your to stay away from her and my son."

"My son Mr. Cassidy. Where were you for eleven years of his life?"

Neal shook his head. "It doesn't matter I'm here now and your leaving."

Regina looked towards Emma who stood solemnly at the back of the group. "Miss Swan what do you say?" She watched as Emma looked up at her with those greeny blue eyes, she watched them leave her face and look around at the other occupants who were staring at her as if to tell her the answer. _Don't listen to them. Please god don't listen to them. _

Emma down away from Regina. "I think it's in everyone's best interest if you leave."

Regina straightened up. "If you can look me in the eye and tell me that Miss Swan I'll leave I won't put up a fight."

Emma swallowed, squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds and opened them to look towards Regina. She had finally gotten her family back. She couldn't lose them on a chance hope that Regina actually does feel the same way about her and isn't just screwing with her mind. "I think it's best you leave Storybrooke."

Regina watched the face and eyes void of emotion. Concedingly Regina nodded. "Very well."

That night Regina sat at the edge of the line in her car staring out at the rest of the world that lay on the otherside. She had packed up everything she could fit into her trunk, leaving behind photos and anything to do with Henry, anything to do with her life in Storybrooke. If she was to leave, she was going to leave to a new life. She hit the accelerator and zoomed past the 'Leaving Storybrooke' sign.

Emma watched the former Mayor's car leave Storybrooke and she grimaced at the sharp pain in her chest. Somewhere inside of her she could feel something crack and deep down she knew that what she had done was wrong, she had given up something valuable but she couldn't gather up the courage or energy to go after it. Instead she sat there till morning and slowly pulled away and made her way back towards town.

**Present**

Regina pulled up alongside the 'Welcome To Storybrooke' sign as Ocean snapped a picture of it with the camera they had brought her for her twelfth birthday.

"Welcome To Storybrooke!" Kyler said with a laugh, "What a name for a town? I declare the person who named it a genius. Now passengers stay seated with your seatbelt on until we come to a complete and utter stop." Kyler laughed lightly and turned to her fiancee to see the sullen look. "Everything okay sweetheart?"

Regina looked towards Kyler who looked on concerned at her. She loved her blonde fiancee more then words could say. "I'm fine dear." Regina put on a fake smile which earned her a 'I know your lying' look but Regina shook it off and chose to ignore it. She waited for Ocean to snap one more picture before pulling away from the sign.

Under her breath she muttered quietly to herself, "Yeah. Welcome To Storybrooke."

**Okay hopefully you enjoyed. In this story age hasn't changed okay, we'll just call it magic. Regina hasn't aged, Henry hasn't aged, Emma hasn't. No one has okay. Also the line from Storybrooke had long been vanquished and anyone can enter and leave. Will get longer as it goes along. Hopefully everyone enjoyed.**


	2. Connections To The Past

**Okay I had a review come in from a somebody named 'mudpiegirl' and I fretted over it a lot and I mean seriously a lot. So I've decided that yes the character will age because she did have quite a point to her review so I thank her, although she did give me quite a few restless nights. Also I've gotten a few reviews about Ocean, so I'd like to point out that Ocean, Regina and Kyler's daughter is actually Kyler's daughter from a previous relationship but I'm calling her Regina and Kyler's because well they've been together for quite a while, quite a long while. Any questions I've missed or that you want answered as long as it doesn't interfere with the storyline I will happily answer. Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites.**

**P.S. Wow thanks for the reviews seriously that's the most amount I've had for one chapter so thank you each and everyone of you.**

**XXX**

Storybrooke...

Hadn't changed a bit. Still cold. Still green. Still a small town. Still the same dreariness. Still the same magical feeling. Still quite. Still...Storybrooke.

Regina pulled to a stop out front of the mansion. The very mansion she hadn't seen in over ten years. It still looked it's pristine white color, the lawn was still manicured and some of the bushes that lined around her property were still in good shape that was part of the curse deal that her garden - that her properties value was never reduced.

"Holy shi-eezes," Kyler finished with a glance in the rear view mirror at their daughter sitting in the back looking at the large house. Kyler turned her attention back to the house and then to her fiancee, "Your weren't kidding when you said you lived in a mansion. I mean look at this thing, it could house my apartment, my car and Ocean's school...okay maybe not Ocean's school but her classroom at least."

Regina chuckled. "It is quite big."

"Big? Mom it's huge!" Ocean exclaimed from the back seat.

"See even your daughter thinks it's big and you lived here all by yourself?" Kyler asked.

Regina swallowed the uncertainty. There was so much she had yet to tell Kyler about her past. So much she hoped she would never have to tell the woman. So much that she would never tell the woman. "Yes all by myself."

Kyler blinked. "Must have been lonely," She whispered sincerely as she reached across the small expanse between the driver's seat and passengers, to grab Regina hand.

"A little," Regina nodded with a smile in Kyler's direction.

Kyler wiggled her eyebrows. "But just think of all the places we can get up to things in there."

Regina laughed. "We are here to sell and take what is necessary not to christen every surface in the house."

Kyler smirked, "How about just walls, floors, showers and beds?" At the look on Regina's face she held up her hands, "I'll settle for anything with a surface." Kyler barely made it out of the car before Regina could give her the playful slap she knew was on the way.

"Can I see the Apple Tree?" Ocean asked once she had jumped out of the vehicle.

Regina glared playfully at Kyler who was laughing on the opposite side of the car. Regina had to hand it too the blonde she knew when to run, she might not have been scared but she knew danger when it started to rear it's head. Turning to look down at their daughter Regina nodded, "But maybe a little later. Don't you want to see the inside?"

Kyler clapped her hands together, "I know I'd like to."

Regina pointed towards Kyler with a smile playing on her lips. "Be good."

Kyler drew a halo around her head and put her hands together like she was in prayer mode and smiled innocently at the brunette. "Me promise."

Regina rolled her eyes but took the offered hand from their daughter before making her way up to the mansion. She was surprised she hadn't ran into anybody yet, she would have suspected a car parked out front of her mansion would have given way to suspicion and although she doubted that nobody would pull up to big off a fuss with a twelve year old girl and another stranger about she did know they wouldn't be too kind.

Slipping the key into the door she turned it hearing the familiar click that had been with her for close to thirty years. Pushing open the door she allowed Ocean to step through first and was waved inside by Kyler who followed closely behind her.

"Wow forget LA, let's just stay here." Kyler said as Ocean moved towards the living room.

"Your kitchen smells Mom!" Ocean called out from the kitchen.

"I left and must have forgotten to clean out the cupboards," Regina said stepping into the large kitchen.

"I'll open some windows," Kyler said moving towards them at the edge of the kitchen.

"Thank you dear." Regina said with a warm smile.

"Can I see the upstairs?" Ocean asked with a smile up at one of her mothers.

"Yeah I want to see the bedroom," Kyler smirked out the window as she pushed it open with ease.

Regina smiled but rolled her eyes playfully saying, "It's a good thing I have more then one guest bedroom."

Kyler laughed and moved over towards her soon-to-be wife, pulling the woman close to her and wrapping her arms around the slightly shorter womans waist. With a playful pout she inquired, "You won't even sleep with your fiancee in the same bed?"

Regina rolled her eyes again but pressed a chaste kiss to the womans lips.

"Eww!" Ocean cried out from below them, "Can you two get over the mushiness and hurry up, I want to see the upstairs."

Regina and Kyler both chuckled. Regina slipped her hand down to grasp one of Kyler, "She has your pushiness."

"I wouldn't call it pushiness, I'd call it determination." Kyler said as she was yanked along behind Regina as Ocean dragged Regina up the stairs. "Plus you love it."

Regina rolled her eyes again. She came to an abrupt halt at the last step of the stairs - ten years ago she had left, she had left leaving the bedrooms in the same state. With a quick thought she continued praying her magic still worked. Together they made their way down the hall and looked into one of the rooms before continuing on. The second room that they looked into, Regina held her breath.

"So where's yours?" Kyler asked.

Regina peeked around the corner and into the room that had previously been occupied by her son...no used to be occupied by her son...no not her son. It held a bed layered with cream colored bedding and the walls were white along with white carpet and some oak dressers, it looked like a regular guest room. Looking back at her wife she smiled, "That room over there." She nodded to the room not very far away from the one they were currently standing in front off.

"Great so Ocean can sleep here in this one. Closer to us then." Kyler ruffled her daughters hair.

"Mom! I just brushed it."

Kyler rolled her eyes but smiled, "I know where she gets that from." Kyler winced, "Ouch!"

Regina laughed lightly but continued onwards. "There's a bathroom right here and one in the main bedroom and one down stairs." She stated as she continued down the hall in the lead. "And ta-da this is the bedroom I used to sleep in."

"Hottest Mayor in the world and the biggest bed in the world. Ocean sweetheart you won't have to sleep in that room, this bed is big enough for the three of us...plus more. What did you get up to Regina?" Kyler asked with a playful raise of a brow.

Once again Regina rolled her eyes but laughed quietly to herself.

"Can I see the Apple Tree now Mom?" Ocean asked taking both her mother's hands.

Regina smiled down at her. "Of course follow me." With that Regina led them down the hall, down the stairs, down more halls and too the backyard were she quickly unlocked the door and stepped out into the cool Storybrooke air.

"Does someone mow your lawn and tend to your gardens or something? It doesn't look like it's aged in years?" Kyler asked looked around the large yard as Ocean ran towards the big apple tree.

"I uh had a gardener come in and fix it up only last week." Regina patted herself on the back for the convincing lie especially against someone like Kyler. Kyler always saw through lies it was her job too, well previous job in some capacity.

Kyler nodded. "Nice and wow would you look at those apples. Are they safe to pick?"

Regina nodded.

Kyler stepped up to the tree picked an apple and handed it to Ocean then picked another one and took a bite. "Oh my god! These are good."

Regina smiled at the child like enthusiasm on her fiancee's face.

"You weren't kidding when you said you had an apple tree. You really love apples huh honey." Kyler said as she stepped up to Regina handing the woman the apple she had just taken a bite out of. "It really is good. Try it, I know you want to."

Regina did so and was surprised to see that even without the TLC she had given it that the Apple Tree remained to produce it's lucious fruit and yet there didn't appear to be any on the ground from falling from the tree. "It really is good."

"Mom's got an addiction to apples." Ocean said in a sing-song voice from the bench under the apple tree.

Kyler's stomach rumbled and she smiled sheepishly. "I got to eat something more then apples. I need a burger."

Regina rolled her eyes with a smile once again.

"Mom your eating habits are terrible." Ocean said stepping up to her blonde haired mother. "Eat apples they're good for you."

Kyler looked from Ocean to Regina and gave the woman a pointed look a grin on her face. "Your influencing our daughter on bad behavior."

"Your bad behavior."

Kyler laughed turned and picked up their daughter. "Must get her away before you corrupt her anymore." With that Kyler took off laughing with a laughing brown haired girl in her arms through the backyard and around the house.

Regina chuckled and followed after the pair.

**XXX**

"So Lisa told me that Michael told her that Steven told him that April told him that Jack told her that he wanted to go on a date with me but I told him we were moving. I think I broke his heart." Ocean spoke as she walked gripping both her parents hands as they made their way down the streets and towards the diner.

"Ahh our daughter a heart breaker already and she's only twelve." Kyler smiled down at their daughter before looking up at her fiancee, "Everything okay?"

"Hmm?" Regina looked up towards Kyler. She was dreading this moment. She knew she wouldn't be able to hide out at the house for two weeks whilst she got everything in order but she really didn't expect it to be so soon that she would come face to face with anyone. Much less the Charmings - or god help her Emma. "I'm fine dear."

"I'm sure your friends will be happy to see you." Kyler said releasing Ocean's hand as the girl walked in front of them. Kyler wrapped her arm around her fiancee's shoulder and pulled her into her.

Regina grimaced at her fiancee's words as she wrapped her arm around the blonde. "I was Mayor. I didn't have many friends."

"You had to have some or otherwise you would never have been elected." Kyler pointed out.

Regina grimaced again. This was starting to eat away at her but how do you explain to someone the truth. She had a feeling 'start at the beginning' wasn't going to work this time.

Kyler pulled them to a stop a few stores away from the diner. "Hey honey," placing both hands on the brunettes shoulder she turned the woman towards her. "Even if they hate you, their going to have to get through me first to get to you. I promise you that I won't let anything happen to you."

Regina nodded.

Kyler pulled Regina towards her wrapping her arms around the shorter woman, hugging her tightly until she felt the embrace back. "I'll kick their asses I promise." She placed a kiss to the top of her fiancee's head and pulled back. "Ready?"

Regina nodded. She was as ready as she could ever be.

"Let's go then." Kyler took Regina's hand and pulled them onwards and after Ocean who awaited at the front of the diner.

Hand in hand Regina walked with Kyler, Ocean in front of them as they moved up the steps to the diner. Ocean pushed through the diner door first and Kyler held the door open for her to step through. A deep intake of air and she stepped through herself. She could feel the silence, it was pin drop quite. The shock was evident especially when Ruby dropped the plate and glass she was holding to the ground in shock, the shattering as solid met the floor was the only thing that could be heard throughout the room.

"Re-Re-Re-Regina?" Ruby managed to get out between her shock.

Regina immediately fell into her cold facade. "Miss Lucas." A tightening on her hand pulled her back to reality though. She wasn't that person anymore. She wasn't the person without a happily ever after. She wasn't the person who was alone anymore. No she was Regina Mills soon to be married to Kyler Haevan who she shared a daughter Ocean Haevan with. No she wasn't the lost woman from before, she was different, better even.

Kyler noticed the silence and quickly ushered Ocean to the nearest booth pulling Regina along behind her. She meant what she said. She'd kick anybody's ass who tried to mess with her fiancee. "You got menus?"

Ruby blinked a few times and took in the two occupants that were with Regina. Looking between the three for a few minutes she finally came back to her senses. "Anything you want?"

"I could do with a burger and fries with a coffee," Kyler nodded. "Regina?"

Regina blinked and turned to face her fiancee, looking into the calm green eyes that had given her so much over the years. "I'll take the salad with apple and water."

"I'll have the same but I'll have juice instead please." Ocean said with a smile oblivious to what was going on around her.

Ruby nodded and quickly scooted of to the diner kitchen still somewhat in shock.

Regina heard the bell to the diner sound again and the laughter flowing through the building she recognized. She had despised all her life and truthfully...she still despised.

"Hey what's going on. Looks like you all have seen a ghost." The gruff laughter sounded.

Regina figured there was no point in hiding herself any longer and turned to face the two idiots standing in the middle of the diner looking around at all the occupants surprised faces. "Hello Mary-Margaret, David."

The room went pin drop quiet once again.

"You!" David spoke sharply stepping up towards Regina.

Regina wasn't scared but she was grateful she wouldn't have to deal with the imbecile herself or she might have to explain to her fiancee and her daughter how she managed to inciderate the idiot...wouldn't be an easy conversation to have. She was saved however from having to when Kyler leapt to her feet and jumped in front of her.

"Hey back off buddy," Kyler said sharply giving the man a rough push.

Charming lost his balance for a split second and stumbled backwards. Once he gained his footing he looked towards the blonde woman standing in front of him blocking his path towards the brunette. "And who the hell are you?"

"All you need to know is that I'm the person that's going to kick your ass if you start a problem with her."

Regina placed her hand on Kyler's shoulder feeling the woman calm considerably. "Kyler please."

Kyler shook her head and looked towards her fiancee, "He starts a problem with you-" she looked back towards the man and glared "-you start a problem with me."

"David, Mary-Margaret I'm only going to be here for two weeks at most and then I'm gone." Regina spoke. She hated pleading but if this continued someone was bound to get seriously injured and everything was bound to come down around her once again.

"David," Snow placed her hand on her husbands shoulder. This was no place to have this conversation especially in front of guests who knew nothing about them.

Charming calmed and looked down at Snow. He knew what the point was. Regina or not people couldn't know about them, it was dangerous. Turning back to the blonde and the brunette he took a step back. "I'm sorry let's start over again. I'm David Nolan, this is my wife Sn-Mary-Margaret."

Kyler continued glaring at the man before turning to the woman beside him, "Keep your husband on a leash or el-"

"Regina?" The small voice barely a whisper was barely heard.

The room turned away from the scene and towards the occupant who had spoken. Snow paled, Charming seemed to have steam coming out of his ears, Kyler looked curiously at the woman with the Sheriff's badge hanging from her jeans and Regina swallowed nervously. This was the most part she had been dreading.

"Miss Swan." She nodded briskly.

Emma looked the brunette up and down. She looked...good better then when she had been here all those years ago. Looking towards the blonde she took in the womans posture and protective stance and then the little girl sitting in the booth. "What are you doing here?" Emma asked looking back towards Regina. She wasn't going to jump to conclusions.

"I'm here to grab the things I need from the mansion and sell it."

Emma swallowed. This woman was really going to come back to town and pack up and then leave again? Emma had a hard enough time getting over the brunette the first time and in fact she still hadn't moved on. The first few nights she had snuck out of her mother's and father's place and slipped into an ajar window of the mansion and curled up in Regina's bed and cried herself to sleep, leaving early in the morning before anybody had seen her.

Kyler looked between her fiancee and the blonde. "I'm Kyler, Kyler Haevan." She nodded to the girl who was currently staring at everything with some fear in her eyes, "That's Ocean."

Snow inquired even further, "And you are?"

Kyler answered, "I'm Regina's fiancee and that's our daughter."

Emma shifted her eyes between the three before falling back onto Regina. "Your getting married?"

Regina nodded.

"Mom?"

Regina froze again when a talk brown haired man stepped inside the diner and Regina had to wonder whether or not it was her imagination that made that bell ring louder. This just kept getting better and better.

**Okay hopefully you enjoyed and yes I know Kyler seems to be really nice and I mean really nice and yes Charming is still a douche but that will never change. Hopefully you enjoyed.**


	3. This Keeps Coming Around

**Okay I'd like to point out that this will be a SwanQueen fic but it'll take a while to get there and do not worry about Kyler or Ocean, Kyler will get her happy ending as well with someone in Storybrooke and Ocean will be fine and that they are main characters in this story as well so I will not desert them. Also, hopefully 'dumbellspoon' you find my grammar to liking and to the rest of you who have commented on it, I hopefully did a little better and hopefully pleased you guys. This chapter goes out to guest reviewer 'Sandrinha' who wanted more flashbacks, I hadn't planned on it but I figured it does work with the story to show everything that has happened in the ten years.**

**Enjoy.**

**XXX**

Kyler looked between the brown haired man standing behind the blonde woman and Regina who stood looking somewhat shell shocked at the man. Hell a few seconds ago she was standing just as shell shocked as Regina from looking at her own reflection, nearly, apart from the fact she was probably a tiny bit taller then the blonde standing still staring at Regina. Kyler barely contained the possessive growl that rose in her chest screaming and clawing to be let out.

"Henry?" Regina asked under her breath.

The young mans voice came out small, surprised and shocked, "Mom? It's really you?" Henry asked stepping around Emma and towards Regina with disbelief.

Regina snapped back to reality and quickly took a step back into the open embrace of her fiancee. This young man wasn't her son anymore. He hadn't been her son for so long. He hadn't been her son even before she had left Storybrooke, something everyone had made abundantly clear to her even him. What do you do when no one wants you, not even your own son? Run. It was perhaps the smartest move she had ever made, sure she loved Henry but he and everyone else had told her who his family was. No he belonged to the blonde woman who still stood there staring at her like a deer caught in headlights _she looked ador- _shaking her head she looked towards Henry.

Henry paused his movements, "It's good to see you Mom." He smiled warmly at her.

"I'm not your mother." Regina spoke with regret. She loved Henry a part of her would always love Henry but no she wasn't his mother.

"Regina, who is he?" Kyler inquired from close behind Regina where she had had her right arm wrapped securely around the brunette's waist.

Emma took a step forward. "She never told you?"

As the blonde stepped closer Kyler squeezed her arm around Regina's waist a little harder. "What's she talking about?"

Emma stopped moving when the blonde released Regina and stepped in front of the brunette. She had no intentions of being physically violent with Regina she never would, okay maybe she had been at one point...maybe twice...okay more than twice but she had never intended any of them and it was self defense, well most of the time it was self defense. Still looking at this blonde in front of her who was placing her body between herself and Regina she had to admire it. Regina deserved someone who was courageous enough to stand up for what she wanted something Emma had lost her chance at.

Emma sighed softly. It was her fault Regina had left town but damn it how do you choose between a family you've never had and the chance that Regina's feelings were real. She chose the easy way out, she knew that and ever since then she had regretted it but what could she do about it now? Regina looked...happy.

_**10 Years Earlier**_

Emma sat in the squad car staring out into the night at the large white mansion building. It was empty she knew that. Regina's car wasn't in the driveway. The lights were off. It was silent - deathly so. She had been sitting there since before the sun had started to set and now the sun had been gone for at least three hours.

She had watched Regina drive over the line and away from Storybrooke the day before but the pain that had encompassed her chest as Regina drove away hadn't subsided in fact it seemed to get worse with each passing second, minute, hour. The pain seemed to take up residence in her chest and refused to leave.

Killing the ignition for the first time since she had pulled up out front of Regina's _was it still Regina's? _Emma shook her head the silence surrounding her and leaving her nothing but those thoughts. Those terrible thoughts, of what if? What if Regina's feelings for her were real? What if she had stood up to her parents? To Neal? Emma glanced down at her hands resting on the bottom of the steering wheel.

Sliding out of the car she silently shut the door behind her and moved towards the path leading up to the mansion's front door. She stopped at the edge of the path and looked up at the large white mansion that looked less intimidating then it had ever before, it looked lonely, it looked as if it wanted to cry out.

Emma pushed forward and made her way up the path, letting herself inside the haunted image of a former Mayoral mansion. Storybrooke never locked their doors even during all the crisis, theiving and murder wasn't exactly their worries in the town plus even if they did she didn't think Regina ever would after all - who would take on the Queen? One of the most powerful witches Fairytale Land had ever seen.

Shutting the door behind her she took in the silently disturbed surroundings. It was dark and yet she had no intentions on flicking any light switches on. She couldn't. She refused to face the emptiness of the mansion and how real everything that had happened in the past forty eight hours had been. She was a coward and she knew it.

She mounted the stairs taking them slowly one at a time. The house didn't creek, didn't howl as wind blew through whatever windows were left open. She reached the top of the stairs and move through the halls as quietly and slowly as possible. She could feel the disturbed environment around her surrounding her, squeezing at her, screaming at her as if blaming her for it being empty - for the hurt it was feeling. She wouldn't blame it. She couldn't blame it.

Emma pushed open the door leading to the main bedroom. She knew where it was from the many nights she had spent looking at the house from the outside, talking to Henry over the walkie talkies. Looking at the immaculate bedroom and bed itself she moved towards it, taking a moment to think this through before crawling onto the bed until she rested in the center of the large king size bed, she didn't remove her badge, shoes or anything.

Laying her head down on the pillow Emma inhaled the sweet scent of apples that identified with Regina. Hugging her arms around the pillow she wept silently into it. Regina was gone and it had all come down to being her fault. She had let the woman slip out of her life all because she couldn't trust whether Regina's feeling were genuine or not. She continued crying silently into the pillow that smelled so much like Regina until the early morning were she left but not before locking the door to the only place she had left of the reminder of what may have been.

_**Present**_

Regina walked, head bowed slightly but still held high, behind Kyler who stalked up to the mansion door and stalked inside without a single glance back in the brunette's direction. She knew Kyler wasn't happy and the woman deserved every right to be mad at her. She had left out a lot of details about her previous life and having an adopted son was the least of them. _Does she even know he's not biologically yours? _Regina shook her head, what did it matter she had screwed up again? Why did she think coming back to Storybrooke with the two of them would be a good idea? She should have pushed them onto LA and done this herself.

Regina watched the woman stalk up the stairs taking each step with a loud stomp. Turning down to the mousy brown haired girl she smiled sadly, "How about I put on a DVD for you while I talk to your ma?"

"Is she okay?" Ocean asked looking up in the direction that her Ma had just disappeared into.

"She's just a little upset," Regina said with a grimace. That was so far from the truth that it was astounding that it could be convincing. Kyler was pissed and she knew it. "How about that DVD?"

Ocean nodded and with a smile inquired, "Can I watch the Twilight Zone?"

Regina chuckled lightly under her breath. Ocean had been addicted to the show ever since herself and Kyler had decided to watch an episode of it. Now they couldn't seem to be able to get Ocean to stop watching the DVD's. The girl had jumped pretty quickly from the Disney shows over to the Twilight Zone, in fact so fast her's and Kyler's head was still spinning from the jump.

Regina switched on the TV, surprised it still worked and turned the DVD player before leaving to retrieve the DVD from the car. Slipping it inside she got Ocean settled, locked the front door and slowly made her way up the stairs. She knew it was probably irrational to lock the doors but she had become so accustomed to doing so when Kyler was working late nights.

"Kyler?" Regina asked from the bedroom door where she stood watching the blonde pace back and forth furiously.

Five steps, pivot, five steps, pivot, five steps - repeat. "You have a son?"

"Well, not exactly."

Kyler stopped pacing and turned to face the brunette. "What does that mean?"

"Well technically he's only my adoptive son. He's biologically Emma's." Regina didn't know whether that would make it better or not.

Kyler threw her hands up into the air. "Oh that makes things even better!" She moved away from the brunette, "You have a son with the blonde doppelganger of mine!"

Regina furrowed her brow, "What are you talking about?"

"Have you checked in a mirror lately!" Kyler let out an angry huff at the retorical question. "Because when _Miss I'm-A-Bird _walked into the diner I thought to myself, who the fuck put the mirror in the diner?!"

"Ma, Mom?" Ocean quietly asked from the doorway rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Kyler and Regina turned away from the little girl.

Taking a few breaths Kyler turned back to her daughter and moved over to pick the little girl up. "Come on Ocean I'll put you to bed," she could feel Regina moving closely behind and quickly snapped around to face her. Deadly cold and calm she said, "She's my daughter, I put her to bed." With that she left Regina standing in the room.

Regina moved towards the slightly messed up bed that she swore she had left tidy before she had left Storybrooke _maybe Kyler had messed it up. _She sat at the end of the bed rubbing her hand over the fabric. Storybrooke, it seemed was her curse. Everything she built up and worked for seemed to come to an end in this god forsaken town. First with Henry, then the curse, then her mother, then Emma..._will I ever catch a break? Mental assylum - note to self; don't go to Storybrooke Mental Assylum who knows those walls might be out to get you._

"I'm sorry," Kyler spoke barely above a whisper as she leaned against the door frame.

Regina refused to look at the blonde woman. "You have nothing to be sorry for. If anyone should be apologizing it's me."

Kyler shook her head before pushing off the wall and making her way over towards Regina. "Look I don't even think I'm mad about you having a son." She sighed taking a seat next to Regina at the end of the bed.

Regina looked up towards her fiancee. "Then why are you mad?"

"Maybe because I have a clone in the same town you abandoned years ago." Kyler looked towards Regina, "Just answer me one thing."

Regina moved off the bed to kneel before Kyler. She couldn't lose this woman who had given her everything. Who had loved her undoubtedly - unquestioningly, which was probably a mistake and more than likely the reason they where here. She owed this woman a hell of a lot. Grasping the woman's hands tightly in her own she looked up into the green eyes pleadingly, "Anything."

Kyler looked down at Regina. "Am I the substitute for that woman in the diner?"

Regina blinked a few times. Was she? Was she fooling herself into believing that she really was in love with Kyler? Was this all a fantasy she had built up to squash down the feeling of rejection that Emma had left within her? That Henry had left within her? No she loved that little girl like she was her own daughter. Regina leant forward and hugged the woman around her waist. "I love you Kyler."

Kyler squeezed her eyes shut trying to block out the feeling her gut. She was born to follow those feelings but looking down at the brunette, she didn't want to follow those, she didn't want to believe any of it. She trusted Regina. She loved Regina so very much. "I love you too," she bent down kissing the top of Regina head before pulling the woman up and in her lap, brushing strands from the womans face. "Let's get some sleep."

"You still mad?"

Kyler waited for Regina to stand up before standing herself. "I'm still a little mad but it'll pass." She watched as Regina silently pulled back some of the bed spreads and arranging the bed the way she liked it. Moving around her side she stepped up to Regina, "But either way it doesn't matter because I will be marrying you in a few months, so anybody with a problem with you will have to deal with me. Including myself." A smirk in place, "I'll kick my own ass if you won't do it for me."

Regina chuckled lightly before leaning up to give the slightly taller woman a kiss. "Thank you honey."

"Nothing to thank," she gave Regina's butt a small slap. "Now get into bed missy." She waited for Regina to be comfortably in bed before crawling over the woman to her side.

"Couldn't go around?" Regina asked with an eyebrow raised.

Settling in beside her fiancee, Kyler wiggled her eyebrows. "You love me on top and you know it."

Regina scoffed playfully again but gave Kyler a quick kiss as she rolled over onto her side away from the blonde. She felt an arm envelop her waist and pull closer until they where spooning up against one another.

Kyler placed a small kiss behind Regina's ears and whispered lightly. "I love you and nothing will change that."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut. What if Kyler was just substitue? God she didn't want to think about it but after seeing Emma after so long she couldn't help but notice how beautiful the other woman had looked standing there absorbing the artificial light of the diner. With a small sigh she intertwined her fingers with Kyler's and let her mind settle but not before wondering whether or not her hand would fit better with Emma's.

**Okay I know I may have a few or a lot of grammar mistakes but I tried my best this time to correct them so hopefully it's not too bad. Also I wish to point out that this story will be a rollercoaster of emotions so be prepared to hate and love all the characters at different points in time. Hopefully you enjoyed.**

**P.S. - Don't know when I'll be able to next update as I have my police academy exams to take this Thursday and I have a lot of studying and even more training to do then usual this week so hopefully next update for this story will be up by the end of the week. Also, check out the story coming soon this week called 'Doppelganger' where Emma and Regina meet their's and see exactly how much trouble the four of them will get up too. It will be both Humor/Romance and it will be written by a friend of mines CouldntBeHappier.**


	4. Breakfast Morning

**My thoughts go out to everyone in Boston, Waco - Texas and in the United States.**

**XXX**

Regina woke with a start to the clatter of pots, pans and plates. The sounds of a little girl giggling and shushing her mother, gave Regina all the answers needed. Rolling over to her fiancee's side of the bed she noticed it neatly made up, something Kyler had always done, the woman had a rather large case of OCD, lots of things set it off; which made Kyler making breakfast a rather serious affair.

With a smile Regina slipped out from underneath the covers, made-up her side of the bed, wrapped a robe around herself and started her route to the kitchen. She could still hear the clattering of pots, pans and plates coming from the kitchen along with the shushes and the subtle hint of laughter.

As Regina landed at the base of the stairs and rounded the corner of the foyer into the dining room, adjacent the kitchen she caught the aroma of pancakes. It had numerous aromas, of numerous flavors of pancakes, and when she rounded the corner she spotted her fiancee standing in the kitchen spatula in hand and two plates of different flavored pancakes.

Regina smiled warmly. It didn't matter anymore what she thought of Emma, this was her family now, this was her life, she couldn't spend time wondering what could have been. "Morning you two," she said with a smile and a kiss too the top of Ocean's head as Kyler ran around the kitchen wiping up mess after mess and assorting items in a particular order.

"Mornin'," Kyler finally replied with a peck to Regina's lips over the kitchen counter-top where Ocean sat behind it.

"What are you two doing up so early?"

"Making pancakes..." Ocean looked towards her Ma standing there, holding a spatula and look distressed, "Or Ma's at least trying too..." leaning over to her Mom she whispered, hiding her mouth behind her hand, "...the thought counts, right?"

"Hey I heard that!" Kyler exclaimed from where she stood placing the last of the pancakes on the plate. "I'll have you both know," she pointed the spatula in each of their directions, a smile playing upon her lips. "I happen to be an excellent cook."

"Microwave meals don't count Ma," Ocean laughed along with Regina as the little girl ducked out of the way from an incoming playfull slap from her Ma.

"Did you go down to the store early this morning?" Regina asked.

"No," Ocean shook her head answering for her Ma, "The man and woman from yesterday showed up and gave them to us."

Regina blinked at her daughter before turning to face Kyler. "Which man and woman?"

"The one that wanted to beat your head in. That guy has some serious issues, he gives me the creeps."

"Tell me about it," Regina mumbled under her breath. "They just gave it too you?"

"With an apology," Kyler nodded. "It seemed shakey, but I wasn't going to pass up free food."

"Apology?" Regina blinked, "Now I have heard it all."

Kyler chuckled. "What is you guy's deal?"

"Difference of opinion."

"Right," Kyler said suspiciously knowing that there was something more to it than Regina was saying but now wasn't the time to question the woman. Especially with their daughter around. "Pancakes," Kyler grinned widely before holding up her hand. "And before you say it's an unhealthy meal do not fear my Queen," Kyler bowed slightly before pointing at the plate of overflowing pancakes. "I made you and litte Regina," she nodded towards Ocean, "Banana pancakes using real bananas."

"Yum!" Ocean exclaimed from her seat as Kyler placed a pancake on her plate.

"Chocolate for yourself?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Want to share?"

Regina shook her head, "Your eating habits are shocking."

Kyler gasped and placed a hand over her heart faking shock. "You wound me Regina." She smirked at the brunette, "But you weren't exactly complaining last week when we had the weekend and chocolate sauce to ourselves." She kept the smirk as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"You guys had chocolate sauce?" Ocean shook her head at her mother's as both of them straightened, "Mom I'm disappointed, to much sugar intake can be dangerous and it also causes weight increase and numerous other problems."

"I don't think she was worried about her intake at the time." Kyler mumbled and yelped when a sharp kick connected with her shin from where she stood placing pancakes on her fiancee's plate, "Ouch!" Kyler innocently smiled at her fiancee and decidely changed the subject from the chocolate sauce. "When did you get so smart?"

"We learnt it in health and biology," Ocean answered. "Plus Mom is always saying that sugar and such is bad for you."

"But necessary." Kyler pointed out.

"We are not getting into this discussion again," Regina shook her head. "Remember what happened last time?"

Ocean chuckled for a few seconds before cracking up into hysterical laughter. "I think I still have the picture of Ma in her sugar coma."

Regina laughed with her daughter. "Yes well eight solid hours of nothing but sugar will do that to a person."

"I was trying to prove a point," Kyler said with a smile as she chewed on her chocolate chip pancakes. She hadn't eaten for quite a few hours. Having skipped the meal at diner, she found the pancakes heavenly.

"Yeah, and that worked out well." Regina scoffed.

"And they say us kids are hyperactive," Ocean said with a roll of her eyes in disbelief as she jumped down from her stool and grabbed her plate, taking it too the dishwasher.

"I wasn't that bad."

Regina and Ocean looked at one another for a few minutes before turning to face Kyler. "Dear, you tipped flour all over our lawn and pretended it was snow."

"I didn't see you two complaining when we had that snow ball fight."

"Flour fight," Ocean corrected.

Kyler bit back the 'smartass' comment but glared at the two most important people in her life. She loved the both of them more than anything, but she couldn't help but briefly wonder what things Regina and the womans son had gotten up too in all the years Regina had spent raising him. She bit back another comment and smiled innocently, "Hey it wasn't the worse thing that happened, or the stupidest. Remember Disney World?" Kyler asked in Regina's direction.

Regina scoffed once again, "No idea what your talking about. It doesn't matter anyway your flour fiasco definitely ranked near the top," Regina said with a kiss to Kyler's cheek as she placed her own plate in the sink.

Changing the subject before her mother's had 'that' argument again. The sugar argument never ended well for any party, it ended on funny terms but the stomach pains that occured immediately afterwards was not something she wanted a repeat off, especially so soon after the last one. "So what are we doing today? Can we go do something?"

"I have to call my boss and fill out a little bit of paperwork today to complete my resignation." Kyler answered.

"I have some paperwork I have to pick up from the Mayor's office but I could take Ocean afterwards." Regina said with a nod.

"And I can meet you both for a late lunch at that diner?" Kyler suggested.

"Your not doing the paperwork here?" Regina crinkled her brow.

Kyler shook her head and finished off the last off her pancakes before looking up at her fiancee. "SAC Coulder told me he'd fax the papers through at the nearest Sheriff's department."

Regina visibly stiffened. After last night she wasn't exactly keen on the idea of Kyler and Emma conversing. "I could pick it up for you instead." She suggested.

Kyler shook her head as she rinsed of her plate and placed it in the dishwasher where Ocean and Regina's already sat. She stood up once again and took in the site of the kitchen. "I should clean."

"Leave it," Regina said. "Dr. Ferguson told you that a little mess will help and I'm inclined to agree with him dear." She gave another smile, "About the paperwork?"

Kyler looked away from the mess that she was itching to clean up. "I can pick it up."

Regina was about to respond but turned towards their daughter still standing in the kitchen drinking a glass of water she had gotten from the sink. "Sweetheart, go get changed and we'll go shortly."

With that said Ocean quickly downed the rest of her glass, placed it in the sink and quickly took off to the spare bedroom where a few bags sat with her clothes in them, that her Ma had gotten out of the car earlier in the morning.

"You don't have to do that."

"Do what?" Kyler asked chewing on her bottom lip as she continued staring at the mess.

"Go the Sheriff's department." Regina answered.

That took her attention away from the mess. "Because of Miss Swan?"

"If it makes you feel awkward I can go and pick it up."

Kyler scoffed, "Just because my doppelganger is Sheriff of Storybrooke doesn't mean it's awkward. I'll be fine it's just papers."

"Are you sure dear?"

Kyler nodded wrapping her arms around Regina's waist and pulling the woman closer to her. "Positive. I love you and we discussed this last night. I believe you."

Regina forced her face to remain neutral. She couldn't cringe. Not now. "If you truly are fine with it?"

Kyler nodded. Plus what would it hurt to meet her doppelganger? What could it hurt to play a little intimidation tactic? She was after all a pro at it. "Absolutely sure."

**Kyler won't meet up with Emma for at least another two or three chapters. As this chapter is more a Kyler/Regina/Ocean with nothing else the next chapter will be up quick. Flashbacks will return in the next chapter which will detail how Regina met Kyler, also next chapter I'm welcoming a new OC character. Hopefully you enjoyed.**

**Sorry about the mistakes haven't had time to edit.**


	5. Accidents Happen

**As a 'guest' reviewer pointed out that this seems to be more a Regina/OC story, but as I said in a previous chapter this will be SQ but it will take time to get there because I just don't see after everything happening Regina and Emma just jumping back into a relationship together. This is about character development for all characters. So yes this will be a Swan Queen fic just please be patient my faithful readers.  
Also I'd like to point out that you may really, really, super dooper love Kyler but this is Swan Queen however Kyler is a main character with her very own storyline which we will get around too. Think of it as; four people trying to figure out were they fit in in life, trying to figure out who they love and who that proverbial 'one' is. Who that person that will love them uncondiontally, depsite all their flaws is. That one person they'll spend eternity with. Sappy I know but that's what this story is. Kyler will get a happy ending, just like Ocean and just like Regina/Emma.**

**XXX**

"Be careful Ocean!" Regina called as she watched her daughter make like a rocket from the slide to the swings. She might be twelve but she loved swings as much as any kid her age should but that wasn't what she had found out made her daughter love the most about swings. Force. Ocean loved science and what better than swings to prove such a theory.

"She looks happy."

Regina turned away from her daughter who was kick starting the swing, and towards the blonde standing beside her; hands buried within her brown jacket pockets. She wasn't looking in Regina's direction but Regina could feel the tension pile up between them. Surprisingly it wasn't awkward.

"She loves the science that abounds swings."

Emma nodded. "One son who loves fiction and a daughter who loves fact. Imagine thanks giving."

Regina looked away sadly. "Everyone, including you made it pretty clear whose son Henry is."

Silence. It encompassed the two women. Enveloping them.

"Is she yours?" Emma asked quietly.

Regina didn't turn to face Emma. The blonde had yet to look at her. "No."

"That other woman's?"

"Kyler." Regina corrected.

"Getting married right?" Emma nodded down towards the ring but still refused to meet the brunette's eyes.

"What does it matter?"

Emma looked towards the little girl swinging back and forfth on the swings saying something to herself over and over again. She couldn't hear what the girl was saying but by the beaming smile and happiness pouring off the young girl she knew it had to be something the girl found rather amusing. "How did you meet her?"

_**9 Years, 7 Months Ago**_

The screeching of tires reached her ears a split second before she was jolted forward not hard enough to cause any physical harm to herself but her car on the other hand - was another story entirely. Unclipping her belt Regina jumped out of her Mercedes ready to holler at the person in the black SUV behind.

"Oh shit I'm sorry."

Regina watched the blonde woman in front of her move from the drivers side to the back of the Mercedes where the tail light was smashed in and the light bulb destroyed. Regina took note of the bags under the womans eyes, not to mention the pale skin but whether that was the womans natural tone or not, she couldn't know. With a sigh she decided to drop the homicidal maniac act and sported a calmer more composed one instead. "Just tell me you have insurance?"

The woman nodded and finally looked up towards the brunette. "Sure."

Unruly blonde hair, green-blue eyes and the same furrowed brow. Regina closed her eyes and reminded herself that this was not Emma and even if it was what could she possibly say. She hadn't spoken or heard from anyone in Storybrooke for so long, she didn't blame them, she blamed herself. For what? She wasn't sure. Many things, maybe. For getting drunk enough to declare her feelings for Emma. For declaring her feelings at all. For having feelings for Emma. For having feelings at all.

The blonde shook her head and held out her hand. "Agent Haevan."

Regina looked down at the hand. This was a chance to start again. Perhaps getting kicked out of Storybrooke was her second chance, or third, or fourth...she had to try, and try meant not being who she was back then. She couldn't be that same person. She had to be different. Taking the hand she smiled, "Regina Mills."

_**Present**_

"What does it matter?"

Emma finally turns to look at Regina as the brunette turns to face her. Regina watched as Emma opened her mouth to say something. After a few seconds Emma finally spoke but Regina notices the change in Emma's eyes and she knows that whatever she is about to say wasn't what she was planning to in the beginning.

"I took pictures. Of Henry growing up." Emma said.

Regina squeezed her eyes shut and turned away from Emma. "Why do you keep bringing Henry up Miss Swan?"

"After everything Regina, you still can't call me Emma?"

Regina snaps around in Emma's direction a cold hard glare on her face. One of those looks she hasn't used in so long, one of those looks she gave up when she left Storybrooke. It feels good to use. She feels like the old self, but somewhere inside she can feel the crack, this isn't her, this person with the firey gaze, it was never supposed to be her.

"Mom!"

Regina's snaps back her firey gaze and turns towards her daughter in a hurry to find the girl crying while holding her hands out in front of her with blood gushing from it. It took a split second for Regina to realize before she was sprinting towards her daughter with Emma quickly following after. Without a care Regina slid in beside her daughter, Emma sliding in on the opposite side jacket of and pressed to the girls nose.

"Regina? Can't you do something? Fix it?" Emma asks as her jacket begins to slowly turn red.

Regina paused hand halfway in the air. She can't do it. How was she to explain to Ocean? To Kyler? That she magically fixed their daughters nose. Looking towards Emma she asks, "Where's the squad car?"

"Over there." Emma nods to the black and white vehicle.

Regina nodded. "We have to get her to the hospital."

Emma gave Regina a curious look, brown furrowed, eyes squinting as she takes in the woman that refused to use magic. This wasn't Regina. This wasn't the woman she had gotten to know all those years ago. This was a woman who had been forced away from everything and everyone she cared about 10 years ago.

Before Regina could slip her arms underneath the little girl, Emma slipped her own arms underneath the girls legs and hoisted her up. "Get the door," Emma said running gently along behind Regina.

**XXX**

She had received her papers early that morning and surprisingly so she hadn't run into the blonde Sheriff at any point, just that same annoying brown haired man - David? She had to admit she was surprised as to what could possibly call the towns Sheriff out on duty in such a small town. She didn't ask, she nodded curtly, gave a small polite 'hi', explained her situation and signed the papers, leaving immediately. Then she had spent the rest of the time talking to SAC Coulder on the phone.

"You lost?"

Kyler snapped around to the voice. She gave a small smile to the black uniformed with red suspenders dressed woman. "What makes you think I'm lost?"

The woman chuckles lightly. "I think it has something to do with the fact that this is the fifth time I've seen you walk past the fire department."

Kyler lets a weak smile of defeat slip onto her face. "Okay I admit I'm lost."

The brown haired woman laughed. "Gee really?" She said sarcasm rolling off her voice in a playfull way. "Peyton Caverly," she said extending her hand towards Kyler.

Kyler took the hand and gave it a firm but gentle shake as she responded in kind with her own name. "Kyler Haevan."

"Oh I know who you are," Peyton said with a smile. "Regina Mills' fiancee right?"

Kyler looks somewhat surprised but quickly she schools her features, "News passes around fast."

"It's a small town and anything Regina Mills related in Storybrooke is news worthy gossip." Peyton said with a small shrug.

"Does everyone in the town really hate her that much?" Kyler asked with a small cringe.

"Well a lot but I don't hate her. Sometimes people aren't responsible for what they do. I won't judge a person without knowing their past."

"Two sides too every story?"

Peyton nodded, "And Regina is no exception." With another smile thrown in the blonde's direction Peyton asks, "So where you going?"

"Diner actually, I'm supposed to meet Regina and our daughter their."

"You have a daughter?" Peyton asked with surprise.

Kyler nodded with a warm smile. She loved her daughter. She would do anything for that little girl. "Her names Ocean. She's twelve and a little too smart for her own good."

"What twelve year old isn't?"

"I know, right?" Kyler said with a laugh.

"Well anyway," Peyton spoke with an awkward smile, "You've been heading in the wrong direction for hours." She said before thumbing in the opposite direction, "When you get to the corner turn left, then take the first right and then the second left you should see it."

"So I've been walking in circles for hours?" Kyler asked scrunching up her face in disdain of her stupidity. Who would have thought she caught bad guys for a living with her terrible sense of direction?

"Pretty much," Peyton said capturing her bottom lip between her teeth to hold back her laughter.

With a shake of her head Kyler waved to the woman. "Go ahead laugh it off."

"Me? Laugh? Never."

"Somehow I don't belie-" Kyler was interrupted by the sound of her phone belting out 'All Time Low'. She fished the small contraption out of her pocket, pressed the little green button on her phone and answered with a smile. "Hey ba-" she blinked a few times at the rambling coming from the other end, "Slow dow-she what? Where?" Looking towards the black and red dressed fire woman standing curiously in front of her with worry on her face she replied to her fiancee on the other end, "I'll find a way just stay with her." Hanging up she asked, "Could you point me in the direction of the hospital?"

**XXX**

"Regina!"

"Kyler!" Regina called back turning just as she was enveloped by a tight hug from the blonde woman.

"Hey baby," Kyler said pulling away from Regina and looking down at their daughter sitting on the edge of the bed with a brown jacket draped over her shoulders and a closed gash on the bridge of her nose that seeped only a little blood. "What happened?"

"She was swinging on the swing and she fell off and must have landed pretty hard face first into the grass." Emma answered for Regina who shuffled nervously on her feet.

"You were there?" Kyler asked.

Her tone held no emotion and Regina noticed it was the same one she used when she was all business, when she was interrogating people in the FBI. This was the woman Kyler refused to be anywhere near her or Ocean. She refused to even use that voice during their arguments. Kyler had said it was because it was the tone she used when trying to weasel out information from suspects, it was the tone she used when the FBI did horendous things to acquire what they needed from people. It was intimidating. It was cold.

Emma didn't back down and instead solidified her spot on the ground more so. "Yes."

Kyler turned away from Emma still clinging to her daughter as she looked towards Regina, "You okay honey?"

Regina nodded. "I'm fine. Dr. Whale put in thirteen stitches and said they could be out in about three weeks."

"I'm going to have a scar." Ocean said pulling away from her mother.

Kyler gave a tiny laugh at that. "Yep."

"Then I'll have one just like Mom but on my nose not my lip." Ocean said happily.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Emma asked Regina stepping towards the brunette. It was important, a necessary need to know in case Kyler had no clue and somebody spilled the proverbial beans to her.

Kyler stood at that reaching over to grab Regina by the elbow. "I think I should get my family back to the house. Ocean's been a bit banged up."

"I just need a minute." Emma said speaking to Regina, keeping her eyes on the brunette.

Regina took a step back away from the blonde Sheriff. "I think it's best you leave Miss Swan."

"It's important Regina."

Kyler stepped in between her fiancee and the blonde Sheriff, hands by her sides twitching for release. "Sheriff I suggest you listen to Regina."

Emma opened her mouth to speak once again but snapped it shut when she realized she couldn't say anything. She didn't have no right to say anything.

_**10 Years Ago (Week After Regina Left)**_

"What about Disney Land?" Charming asked from his spot behind the counter in the kitchen, "Cedar Point? Six Flags?" He rambled off again. "Don't you want to find out what a roller coaster is?"

Emma sighed. She knew what a roller coaster was. Her whole life was one and just when it looked to be heading up hill, everything went down hill again. Now she was spinning like the Corkscrew roller coaster at Cedar Point. Or plunging to the ground like the elevator in Disney Land.

Henry answered for Emma. "How about Disney Land?"

"I don't think meeting our fairytale doubles in costume would be a good idea Henry." Snow said from her spot in the bedroom where she was rummaging through her draws looking for a particular outfit.

"Of course it wouldn't, it's not exactly truthful." Emma mumbled under her breath from where she sat on the stool head buried in her arms. She had barely slept, crying herself to sleep every night at Regina's and slipping away in the early morning before anyone could notice.

Emma noticed Henry had yet to ask about his mother. Nobody had told him what had happened. Snow and Charming ignored the issue altogether, Neal just couldn't care less and played the _perfect _father to Henry. 'Played' was the word that she had to highlight, he wasn't perfect and he definitely wasn't any type of family of hers. God everything was so screwed up.

"What?" Snow asked from her room barely paying attention.

"I said I'm not going."

"Why not? It'll be fun!" Henry cheered from his spot next to her.

Emma ground her teeth against one another. She couldn't be angry with Henry, she had no right, this was all her fault. "I've got to go." With that said Emma stood and left the room.

_**Present**_

Looking from Regina to Kyler, she couldn't help but notice looked a lot like herself. She wouldn't deny it she could feel the cracks inside her. Looking towards the little girl on the bed Emma briefly wondered that if she had off reciporcated to Regina's feelings whether somewhere along the line, this would be their daughter sitting on the bed with stitches on the bridge of her nose. Looking back to Regina she sadly noted, but there was no one else to blame but herself;

This was a woman who had rebuilt her life.

A life without Emma in it.

**Okay this chapter was supposed to come out a lot better than it did. I had all these great ideas on how to introduce the characters but after firearms training they kind of flew out the window and so I took what I could and made what I could. The new OC will get a lot more interesting (hopefully) as it goes along. More Emma/Regina scenes coming up as well as Kyler/Peyton and Kyler, Emma will eventually speak face to face and I have an idea where I would like that to go. Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and followers, you guys rock. New update soon I'm on a roll with this story at the moment, already half way through the next chapter.**

**Still haven't had time to edit, sorry to all my budding Grammar party (feel free to correct me).**


	6. Small Steps

**Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows. You guys really are amazing.**

**XXX**

Emma strode up the path to the white Mayor's mansion quickly. It wasn't odd for her to be here. She had been here every night since the woman had left Storybrooke, albeit she never used the door. Raising a hand she moved to knock when the door swung open and she was greeted by her mirror reflection.

Kyler slowly put her daughters jacket on before slipping into her own, keeping her eyes on the blonde in front of her. "Can I help you Sheriff?"

"Emma." She said with a small smile.

"Sheriff?"

Emma nodded with a tight smile. "I was wondering if Regina's here?"

Kyler opened her mouth to speak her mind but was quickly cut off by Ocean who excitedly bounced down the two steps that led to the path. "Mom, come on! I want ice cream! Mom wants ice cream!"

Kyler smiled lightly before turning to the Sheriff with curt nod towards the interior of the house. "She's in her office."

"Thanks."

"Don't thank me." Leaning in closer Kyler whispered, "I don't know what your deal is, but if it were up to me, you wouldn't come anywhere near Regina."

Emma smirked, "Jealous that your only a look alike?"

Kyler opened her mouth to try to give the blonde in front of her once again, a piece of her mind, but was once again, quickly cut off by her daughter impatiently calling for her to hurry up. With a glare thrown in the direction of the Sheriff, Kyler turned and bounded down the two steps and quickly strode to her daughters side. Grasping her hand she left the mansion and the Sheriff behind. Regina loved her, what could possibly happen?

Emma gave her head a small shake at the retreating blondes back before turinng and entering the large mansion. She shut the door behind her and looked around the familiar environment. It was just how she remembered it the last night she had been there, the night before Regina had shown up once again in Storybrooke with her new fiancee and child. It looked just like it did all those years ago, even when her parents had thought about packing everything up and getting rid of it all.

_**10 Years Ago (2 Weeks After Regina Left)**_

Slipping on his gloves, Charming took a look at the room around him. It was decorated with an assortment of relics, ornaments and pictures, and don't even get him started on the frames. They looked to be worth more than his closet and Snow's put together. Worth more than the Sheriff's department...the building itself, and that's just one of them.

"I wonder how she acquired all this stuff." Snow said as she ran her finger along the top of the fire place. Not a speck of dust was swept up on the tip of her work gloved index finger. "Do you think it just came with the curse?"

"Wouldn't be surprised." Charming said as he looked up at the large replica of the 'Mona Lisa'. "Whose the woman?"

"It's the Mona Lisa gramps," Henry answered with a small chuckled.

Emma added as she slapped open a box, sticky taping it to form. "Yeah, you know? Like Leonardo DaVinci?"

"Oh right!" Snow exclaimed happily before slapping her husbands arm. "The actor, remember? Titanic. Catch Me If You Can."

Emma looked up from the second box she was setting up towards her mother. "Uh, wrong Leonardo Mom."

"Oh."

Emma shook her head with a small smile. Turning away from her parents to find Henry staring at something in his hands with a frown on his face, on the other side of the room. Dropping the tape and scissors on top of the box, she brushed her hands on her jeans and made her way over to the boy. "What have you got there?"

"Nothing." Henry shook his head returning the picture to the shelf.

Emma looked from Henry to the picture. It radiated happiness, true happiness, something she had seen Regina eminate on rare occassions. It was a colored photo of Regina gripping Henry around the waist trying to kiss the boy on the cheek with a wide smile on her face. He looked to trying to avoid her but was laughing hysterically at what his mother was trying to do.

"It was my first day of school." Henry spoke his voice low, "I was eager to go, it was Mom who was reluctant for me to leave. She held onto me that day, she got Graham to take the picture. It was the only time she ever smiled around him or showed any kindness to him." Henry smiled lightly at the memory. "When we got to the school she fussed over me, asked me a hundred times whether I had her mobile number, her office number and Graham's in case she wasn't available. But as a last resort." Henry shook his head with a small chuckle, "She must have hugged me at least a hundred times and kissed me double."

Emma smiled at the picture forming in her head. She could picture Regina doing such a thing.

"Is it wrong for me to love her?" Henry asked looking up at his blonde mother.

Emma looked over towards her parents to find them occupied with packing ornaments into the boxes Emma had already set up and prepared. Turning back to her son, she knelt down in front of the boy, grabbing both of his small hands she looked him in the eye. "No. It's not wrong, not matter what she did, she cared about you, she loved you more than anything."

"But she's evil."

"Evil still feels things. Look at Gold with Belle, he loved her so much he gave up revenge. Look at Cora, she felt so much she had to resort to pulling out her own heart. The reason evil does what it does is because it feels."

"Do you believe she's evil?" Henry asked, pleading eyes looking up at her.

It was a question Emma had asked herself ever so much, it was a question that she knew the boy in front of her wanted to know the answer too. He needed to know the answer. Sadly, she still didn't know the answer to that question. "Evil comes in many shapes and forms. Everyone has evil inside of them, everyone has done something evil. Your Mom, she's confused and lost, and because of that she let it take over her. It's not her fault."

"I wanted to do this." Henry said looking around the room, "I thought it would help me get over missing her. I thought it was the right thing to do. I thought it was for the best like Grandma and Grandpa said it would be." Henry looked down at his shoes with a frown on his face.

Looking back over to her parents, she found them heaving a large picture and frame off the wall. Turning back to her son, she shook her head. "It doesn't matter what they say. Only you can tell what's best for you."

"I don't want to do this. This is my home. This is my Mom's stuff. I..I still love her." Henry looked up at his birth mother with tears in his eyes.

Emma nodded genuinely. Standing up she turned to her parents. "Stop!"

"Huh?" Charming didn't turn away from the heavy task at hand.

Emma stormed up to her parents and placed her hand agaisnt the picture frame. "We're not doing this. I'm not allowing you to do this. None of us have any right to do this."

"Em-" Snow began.

Emma shook her head. "No. Leave."

"Emm-" Charming tried.

Turning to her father. She spoke, dead cold. "Leave. Now."

Emma turned away, hearing her parents footsteps retreat until the front door opened and closed shut behind them. With a look at her son, she gave a small smile before turning to look at the picture frame that she was pushing to balance against the wall. She should never have let it go this far.

For the next five hours she spent her time putting everything back to it's original place, she had called up Ruby for some assistance with the heavy and large picture frame, and kindly as always Ruby had helped with no questions asked.. By the time she had finished and Ruby had left, she found Henry sound asleep on the couch in front of the fire place with the picture from before clutched tightly to his chest. As gentle as possible, she picked him up and made her way upstairs until she reached his room. Laying him down gently, she tucked him in, all the while he never released the picture. With one last smile she retired to the main bedroom, inhaling the remaining scent of the woman she had let walk out of her life.

_**Present**_

"Honey, I thought you were going to grab some ice-" Regina stepped out into the foyer, looking up from her papers she came to a halt at the wrong blonde standing in front of her, "-cream." Straightening herself out she maneuvered around Emma and made her way towards the living room. "Miss Swan, what are you doing here?"

Burying her hands in her pockets Emma followed Regina. "I thought we could talk."

"We have nothing to talk about." Regina said adamantly as she placed the papers on the coffee table and picked up a file before sitting across from the papers.

"You never told her."

"Told her what Miss Swan?" Regina asked.

"About magic. Who you are." Emma answered.

"When I left Storybrooke," Regina started looking up from her files and up towards the blonde Sheriff. "I left behind everything I was."

"You can't just bury it Regina. The past always catches up with the present."

_How right she is _Regina thought to herself as she looked back down at the files in her hands. "It's my choice who I tell."

"Do you love her?" Emma asked bluntly.

Regina paused her hands stopping their filtering of paper in files, and her eyes stopping their run through of words. It was a valid question. Of course she did. It wasn't whether she loved the woman or not that was the question. No, that she could answer, because she truly did love the woman. It was more how much? And why? "Of course I do."

"Then why haven't you told her who you really are? Shown her?" Emma pressed, stepping forward. "If you truly love her and she truly loves you. Than accept yourself for who you are and she'll accept you for who you are."

Regina kept her eyes on the paper in front of her. It wasn't so easy. Sure it sounded as such, but how do you tell someone that you _care_ about, about the unspeakable horrors of your past. The things you have done that would be classified, cirmes against humanity. No, it wasn't something you bring up. It wasn't something that was shared over dinner.

_**9 Years, 6 Months Ago**_

Regina walked contently down the barely occupied hall in the underwater aquarium. For some reason she had found it easier to think, to forget, when she was surrounded by oceanic sea creatures and water. It was peaceful, almost serene. Regina let out a small 'omph' sound as she spun around and collided with a hard body. "Sor-" Regina found herself staring into blue-green eyes. "You again."

"Oh hey!" The woman exclaimed with a wide smile. "Regina Mill's right? I suppose you remember me, Agent Haevan? Well," she glanced around the aquarium, waving her hand about. "Here it's just Kyler."

"Mom!"

Regina turned to the source of the loud scream to find a small girl running on wobbly legs towards the blonde in front of her. She watched as Kyler leant down and scooped the little girl up in her arms, lifting the girl above her head as the small figure laughed at the actions.

"I saw shark eat fishie!" The girl exclaimed happily with a big smile.

Kyler sighed dramatically in humor, "Well there goes Nemo."

Regina let out a small chuckle. She had seen that movie at least a hundred times, Henry hadn't wanted to put that movie down for the first six months after he had gotten the DVD. She shook her head. She couldn't think about the past anymore.

"Hey, this is Regina. Say hi." Kyler prodded the little girl, taking hold of the small wrist and making the small hand give a wave in Regina's direction.

"Hi." It was innocent and shy as she buried her face into her mothers neck. Taking small peeks at the brunette.

"Hi," Regina replied with a genuine smile of her own at the little girl. "And what's your name?"

"Ocean."

Regina smiled at that. "You like the ocean?"

The little girl nodded. "I'm nearly fwee."

Regina's smile grew bigger at that. It was so off topic that it was cute. "Wow big girl."

The little girl giggled.

Kyler put the struggling girl down and watched as she plastered herself to the glass window that looked out into the water. Turning back to the brunette she gave a small nervous smile, digging her hands into her jacket pockets.

Regina couldn't help but notice just how much she resembled Emma Swan in that moment.

"So did you get the insurance papers?" Kyler asked, trying for conversation.

Regina nodded. "Imagine my surprise when I opened my door to two FBI agents."

"Well go big or go home right?" Kyler asked retorically as she gave the brunette a curious look before asking properly, but no less nervous. "Would you like to join us?"

_**Present**_

Such and innocent question. That had ended up leading to something more.

"Miss Swan, why are you truly here?" Regina asked, looking up from her papers and at the blonde.

Emma glanced down at her boots. "Henry..." she looked up from her boots towards the awaiting woman. "He wants to see you."

"Like he wanted to see me all those years ago?" Regina asked.

"He still loved you back then Regina. He was just a confused little boy."

"A confused boy that gave up his mother, for one that gave him up at birth." Standing up Regina stared coldly at Emma, "I changed every diaper. I spent every night awake chasing away monsters. I made the bottles. I spent every night tucking him in. I spent every Christmas and birthday with him. I spent hours upon hours awake with the screaming. I spent hours potty training him. I spent years. Years! Loving him and you show up." Regina glanced away from the blonde, "He loved you the moment he saw you."

Emma advanced towards Regina but stopped when the brunette took a step back. "He never stopped loving you Regina."

"No." Regina shook her head, turning back to Emma. "He never stopped loving who he wanted me to be."

**XXX**

"Race ya to the door."

"It's 'you' Ma not 'ya'," Ocean pointed out earning a roll of the blondes eyes. "And go!" She yelled out of the blue, surprising Kyler who by the time realized what had happened, her daughter was half way around the corner that the Diner sat on.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Kyler called out to her laughing daughter.

"Whoa! Where's the fire? I have yet to be notified." The brown haired woman said as a small body careened into hers.

Kyler rounded the corner but came to screeching halt when she came face to face with the fire fighter. Peyton. "Hey, sorry about that. Somebody tricked me, and took of like a bat out of hell."

"Ma," Ocean chastised with a 'tsk'. "Mom wouldn't like you saying that word."

Kyler rolled her eyes at her daughter. "It's like having two Regina's."

Peyton looked down at the little girl with a smile on her face. "Nothing wrong with proper etiquette, right?"

"Mom always says..."

Kyler interrupted her daughter. "Regina says a lot of things. But I'll have you know, that she's not all that innocent, she's said a few bad words that not even I knew existed."

Peyton chuckled. "I bet." She looked away from the two occupants standing in front of her. "So," she started, crouching down to the girls eye level. "You must be Ocean. You look very muc like your mother."

Ocean frowned, "But I want to look like Mom."

Kyler huffed playfully. "Gee, thanks kid."

Peyton wholeheartedly laughed as she stood. "Everybody wants to look like your Mom." Holding out her hands at the raised eyebrow from the blonde woman in front of her, she quickly added. "Don't get me wrong, I like the way I look, but I could imagine the things I could get away with if I had Regina's looks."

Kyler snorted with laughter and playfulness. "A lot. Trust me. That innocent look off hers that she passed on to a little girl named Ocean." She smiled down at her daughter, "It always succeeds in getting them out of trouble."

Peyton laughed once again while Ocean giggled along, innocently.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up you two."

Eventually Peyton came down from her laughing fit and inquired. "Off to the diner you two?"

Kyler nodded. "Thought we'd grab dinner."

"We have to stop at the shops for ice-cream." Ocean reminded the woman.

Kyler once again rolled her eyes. "Right then the shops, for ice-cream."

"Can't forget the ice-cream," Peyton said with a playful wink down at the little girl.

"Not you too."

"Fraid' so." Peyton said with a smile and a shrug, "Well I better be getting to work. It was good seeing you again."

"Yeah we should get going too." Kyler prodded her daughter into walking once again, as she herself maneuvered around the brown haired woman. "Good seeing you too."

For a few seconds Peyton stood their watching the back of the retreating blonde as she disappeared into Granny's diner, laughing along with her daughter as picked her up and swung her around. With a smile, Peyton pushed away from the corner and crossed the street, making her way to work.

**Okay, I will be getting to Peyton's history in FTL hopefully in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this chapter because I more than enjoyed writing this one. This had to be my favorite chapter to write so far.**

**Not edited.**


	7. Personal Scores

**Okay so I'm hoping I did this chapter justice, I'm not very good with action scenes so I hope it wasn't terrible. A few different character interactions are shown here and finally Emma and Kyler have their confrontation, I can assure you that Henry and Regina will have a talk in one of the next too chapters, whether that's a good or bad thing you'll have to wait and find out but slowly things will be cleared up.**

** XXX**

Regina watched as Ocean carefully stirred the spaghetti sauce. She watched from a distance that would make it easy to yank Ocean away from the stove if any accidents were to occur, but far enough that she wasn't hovering and the little girl felt like she was helping all on her own.

"Is that good enough?" Ocean asked with a slight bounce as she looked over towards her mother.

Regina stepped forward and nodded. "A few minutes more and we should be good."

"You have to taste it, Mom." Ocean said with a roll of her eyes. "Just like you always make, Ma, do it." With that being said, Ocean help up the wooden spoon to her mother, hand underneath it just like she had seen Regina do her Ma before. "Open up."

Regina let out a small chuckled before blowing on it and taking a small taste.

"Good?" Ocean asked going back to stirring.

Regina opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by a knock at the door.

"I'll answer it!" Ocean called jumping down from the small stool that helped her reach the stove to stir the pot.

Regina watched her daughter go as she turned the stove off and pulled the pot away. Calling out to Ocean, "Ocean, who is it?!"

"Need some help?"

Regina spun at the voice, spinning so fast she should have gotten whiplash. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Snow shifted on her feet. "I came to talk to you."

Regina looked down at her daughter who scrambled over to the spaghetti sauce pot sitting to the side too cool off. "Ocean, honey, why don't you go get some apples from the tree for the pie."

"Yes!" Ocean exclaimed excitedly as she took off for the back door.

"Careful and from the lowest branches only!" Regina called after her and a small echo of 'okay' was heard in the girls wake. When she heard the 'like mother like daughter' slam of the door she turned back to Snow White standing in her kitchen looking nervous. Regina straightened herself out and hardened her voice, "Well, talk."

**XXX**

Emma flicked through the papers on her desk, glancing over at the stack of yellow manilla folders sitting to the side. She had yet to go through them and honestly she really didn't want to but it was in some part in her job description, it was necessary for her to write up reports. Even if the only person she ever arrested was Leroy for drunk and disorderly conduct, yep he still hadn't changed although she had to admit it was less frequent.

"So, this is what you do all day?"

Emma's head snapped up so fast she was sure she heard the crack of her spine. _Hopefully nothing serious _she thought as she stared at the blonde woman before her. "Can I help you?"

"Depends."

"On what exactly?" Emma asked standing up and shuffling her files about.

"On whether or not your capable of doing what you're told." Kyler shot back.

Emma scoffed. "Well I have been known, to be stubborn."

"Well let me put it in terms that someone of your stubborn nature should understand." Kyler took a step towards Emma. "Stay away from Regina."

"Or what?" Emma asked looking up from her desk, palms flat against the hard surface.

"Sheriff, this is no game I'm playing." Kyler placed her own palms flat down against the desk leaning over it in intimidation. "You have no idea who I am or what I'm capable off."

Emma tilted her head slightly, "On the contrary."

The tone the woman used made Kyler straighten up, her hands rising from the desk to fold across her chest in a form of protection. Something she did quite a lot when she felt threatened or insecure.

"I did a little research." Emma pulled open a draw and pulled out a file. "You were dishonorably discharged from the Marine's for disobeying a commanding officers orders," Emma held her hand up. "I don't judge you for doing it. Under the circumstances you did the right thing, I would have done the same, but from there you joined the FBI and now your signed up with the Los Angeles Police Department as a Homicide Detective." Holding up a finger to still Kyler's words from flying out she continued. "Nobody's perfect and I wonder if Regina knows."

Kyler kept her facial expressions impassive but made sure her tone held malice. "So you did your homework, am I supposed to be impressed?"

"The one thing I can't seem to find out is, who is Ocean's father?"

Kyler look hardened at the mention of her daughter, uncrossing her arms she took a direct step forward to the blonde Sheriff. "You keep her out of this, this is between me and you."

"You want to know the real reason your here?" Emma taunted as she stood face to face with the blonde look a like. "Your here because your afraid that Regina does love me."

"She's with me, she doesn't love you."

"Then why are you here?"

**XXX**

Peyton quietly sipped at her coffee, her fire jacket draped over the stool next to her. Ruby stood on the opposite side of the counter refilling the coffee pot as Charming stood chatting to Granny from beside her. She was glad for the small amount of peace she had everyone afternoon when she came in for her regular afternoon coffee before the lunch time rush.

"You should stay away from her." Charming said.

_Well so much for that _Peyton thought with a small sigh as she lowered her coffee cup from her lips. "Why?" Peyton questioned the former Shepherd, turned Prince, turned veterinary assistant, now King? What the hell was his name even?

"Who know's what corrupted things Regina has done to that woman."

Corrupted? What was corruption really? Weren't they all corrupted in some way, shape or form?

_**FairyTale Land**_

Peyton crawled using her legs for that little extra push as moved up the hill, keeping low out of the guards line of sight. At the top she retrieved the hand-held spyglass from her belt, extended it and brought it to her left eye. She scoured her surroundings. It was always tight security. Guards were always flocking the outside court yard and inside would be worse, but this was necessary.

Peyton gripped the scroll in her hand tighter. It had specific instructions on what to do when she retrieved it...it should have been 'if' she retrieved it. She knew this was a suicide mission and briefly questioned how many people had been sent on this 'retrieval' and had never been seen again. Mercy wasn't a forte around here.

With one last glance down at the scroll gripped in her hand, she slid down the hill and moved towards the garden in the far distance. She slipped past some guards and planted her back firmly against the walled garden plots, moving along the outside, slipping against the stone as she avoided the patrolling guards. Would they even bother warning her? Would they just stick their swords into her? Or would they have their way with her first and then do away with her? She wouldn't be surprised if it were the latter.

"I don't know why we don't just charge on their land. We have the forces." One of the soldiers spoke up from his sitting position with three of his buddies.

"Yes but they have an alliance. We need to build our alliances and combine armies with the south before trying anything. If we charge them now, we will surely enact and all out war, one we will not survive." Another spoke up.

A young man form fitted in black jumped to his feet sending the chair he had been sitting on a fair distance away and to the floor with a _Crack!_ The young man who had spoke quickly found his neck occupying a sword that pressed tightly against his skin until it breached for a slight trickle of blood."You dare question the Queen's power!"

The man held up his hands and cowered as best as possible. "No sir."

The young man swung his sword away from the others neck and grasped the collar of his uniform yanking him up into a half sitting, half standing position and right into his face. "You should count yourself lucky, Siler. If I were the Queen, you would be dead by now." He released the man with a slight push until he landed squarely into his chair, it rocked a few times before settling on the stone pavement. "Back to work! Both of you!" With that they scampered off and the man moved inside the castle.

Peyton moved once again through the castle gardens, coming up to the north wall were she quickly made work of scouring the wall. Once in side she landed gracefully with a soft _Thud! _that echoed slightly in the room. It wasn't loud enough to draw attention, but still she paused to listen for anything that signalled she had alerted attention. Nothing came. She had spent years training for Snow White's Soldiers and from a young age she had been one of the best sword fighters in her class, when she was finally old enough to join the military academy they had, she had quickly made work of her trainers and classmates and from there she had been selected as one of the very few at the top of the class to be Snow White and Prince Charming's Royal Guards. A great honor. She had fought her fair share of the Queen's own soldier and guards. They weren't to be laughed at.

Peyton moved through the halls briefly glancing over the map, the medicine man had given her. All this for a gem? It had to be something special as everyone knew, stealing from the Queen was a sign of insanity. She came to a stop out front of a large room. There sitting on a stand and red pillow sat the gem...well she hope was the gem. From the description it definitely was. But it looked to be a regular diamond. Nothing special. With a shrug, Peyton lifted it from the stand and pocketed it before exiting. She rounded corner after corner but came to screeching halt when a voice boomed through the halls.

"Halt!"

Yep that got her moving. Instead of pausing and turning to face the black guard she took off ducking the incoming arrow and moving as fast as her feet could take her. She soon heard the sound of numerous boots hitting the pavement. She spared a quickly look over her shoulder and barely managed to duck in time to avoid the arrows. At least three guards were charging after her with swords, two were carrying bows and following behind the sword men and the rest were just charging her.

Peyton quickly turned into the main hall were she came once again to a screeching halt. Her path was blocked off by the railings overlooking the main halls,main floor. With a gander back at the soldiers now forming a half circle in front of her she glanced up at the wood panelled walk way near the ceiling. Turning to the roped sand bag beside her she quickly drew her sword, cut the sandbag rope sending the heavy bag plummeting into the crowd of guards and hoisting herself up into the air onto the walkway.

Planning always did go better when she had a plan. But as like always she never thought things through that much. Reckless, was another word for it. Peyton heard the clips off rope as she turned to find the soldiers cutting through the rope that held the walkway up and soon enough she found herself sailing through the air holding onto the wooden walkway till she sailed through the glass window sending herself and some off the wooden walkway plummeting towards the ocean.

She pushed her body to form the perfect dive and followed after the wood allowing it to break the surface for her entry so it wouldn't hurt as much. Surfacing, she spouted a small bit of water from her mouth and watched as the guards poked their heads from the castle's broken window down towards the ocean. Turning she swam to the land a small distance away.

Peyton dragged her body into a crawl up the beach. She was cold, wet, cold, exhausted...and cold. Yep she was definitely cold. Standing on shakey legs she made her way towards the woods. If the guards had garnered she had lived then they would be after her and the Queen would not stop until she was found, dead or alive.

Peyton ducked down behind a bush and heaved quietly for oxygen. Her lungs burning and her head spinning at the sudden intake. The clammering of boots tore her attention away from herself. She prayed to whatever god was listening that she would live. She had to live.

"Come out and we'll kill you quickly." The soldiers gruff voice boomed throughout the forest.

She took a deep breath and steeled herself. If she was going to die, she was going to die fighting, not as a coward in hiding. She stood and stepped out from the bush, sword at ready, diamond clutched in her right hand. She countered nine excluding the two bowmen with arrows aimed at her.

"Drop your sword and I shall be lenient and give you a quick painless death." The guard spoke again.

Peyton gripped her sword tighter. She knew it was a risk. One she had to take. The Queen wasn't known for her forgiveness. "Drop yours and I shall be merciful, you can keep your life."

As if it were the funniest thing they had heard, each guard burst into laughter until it was an uproar. The forest echoing with the guards laughter. Peyton looked between each briefly sparing a look to the man that appeared to be in charge. With one last look at the diamond in her hand she tightened her grip on it before tossing it into the air and dispatching the first guard with her sword through his chest. This launched the guards into action.

She quickly dispatched a second and then a third before catching the diamond and aiming the suns bouncing reflection of the surface of the diamond to blind one of the archers who fired inaccurately and took out a fourth soldier. Pocketing the diamond she picked up a second sword and charged the blinking archer, who with an unfocused gaze pulled back on his bow.

Peyton grabbed a hold of him spun him as he fired the arrow, taking out his companion archer who in turn fired his arrow into the archer she was holding before falling with a _Thud! _dead to the floor. Peyton kicked the dead body weight of the archer she was holding into three of the guards knocking them off balance and distracting them for the time being. She crossed swords with another soldier before ducking at the swinging soldier behind her who beheaded his companion.

Peyton elbowed the male soldier behind her until she heard the crack of his nose. The soldier crumpled to the ground dropping his sword and clutching at the blood flowing nose. With him now distracted she turned back to face the three soldier now getting to their feet and approaching her swords raised. She spared glanced between the three as they grew closer, she planned, plotted and mapped out an idea but as always she ran with luck...with hope.

She charged one of the guards until she was close enough to drop down into a slide and propell herself under and through the guards legs. He stood in surprise for a few seconds until her turned to find the woman turning his companion around, her sword sticking through his midsection.

She kicked him into the stunned guard until both soldiers were impaled. Dropping down to the ground she heard the _Whoosh!_ of the sword scraping the tips of her hair slicing them from their strands. Something her sister would fret about later and more than likely chastise her about for not being girly enough and getting into fights with the Evil Queen's guards.

Peyton kicked the soldiers legs out from underneath him, forcing him to the floor. Pulling out her dagger she straddled the male soldier and struggled with him for a bit until the dagger impaled his chest. With a loud exhale of breat she jumped up from the man before slamming her foot down onto the dagger, forcing it in to the hilt. Turning she moved towards her sword and the two bodies it impaled. Drawing it out of the body she flipped it in her hand at the soft sound of sneaking boots. With a shove of her sword behind her, she listened for the groan and felt the weight on the sword. Turnign she found the bloody nosed soldier from before on the opposite end of her sword, the tip gleaming in red from where it poked out beneath the dark uniform of the soldiers.

"Bravo!"

Peyton turned towards the mocking claps resounding through the forest. Coming face to face with the lone Queen. She was dressed top to bottom in a tight fitting, black dress. It did her name justice. Peyton spared a glance at the bow sitting beside the dead archer and the arrow still in it's quiver.

"Dear, do you really think you can reach that before I kill you?" She asked with humor laced into her words.

Peyton didn't care. She lunged for the bow, picked it up and pulled and arrow from the quiver before readying it pulling back on the bow and spinning, focusing the arrow on the form of the Evil Queen. She released the arrow and watched as it sailed towards it's target who vanished it black misty smoke.

Peyton dropped the bow and picked up her discarded sword that she had dropped during her lunge for the wooden bow. She spun in circles looking in all directions, for the returning figure of the Queen. She wasn't known for her mercy. She'd be back.

"Behind you, dear."

Peyton spun, sword raised towards the neck of the Queen. She watched as it vanished before her eyes at the wave of womans hand. The Queen laughed as Peyton fell backwards and crab crawled backwards away from the evil woman.

"Brave dear. I shall hand that to you and I must add that you are rather entertaining. Taking out numerous amounts of my guards and surviving a fall from my castle window. I should offer you a position amongst my ranks, but alas you do work for Snow White and I'm not in the habit of hiring her formers." She said with a small 'ah well' tone.

"I would never join you anyway."

"Right the Evil Witch and all that," she gave a dismissive wave before approaching the crab crawling woman.

Peyton jumped to her feet and took of in a sprint. She threw a look back over her shoulder to find the Queen gone. She turned back in time to come to a screeching halt.

"Boo!" The Queen exclaimed as she appeared out of thin air in front of Peyton.

Once again Peyton fell backwards and crab crawled backwards, away from the Evil Queen.

"You can't escape me, dear." She told the woman as she held out her hand.

Peyton felt the magical bond form around her arms, securing them to her side as the magic pushed her up into a standing position and forced her into the air. She wriggled and waved her legs about, trying to escape the invisible bonds.

The Evil Queen approached the prone and bound woman hovering in the air. She moved to the pocket that held the diamond and quickly retrieved it. "My, my, what do we have here? Stealing from the Queen are we?" She watched the woman struggle once again, "Why? Why do such a foolish thing?"

Peyton looked at the dark woman. "Why does it matter? What do you care? I'll tell you nothing."

"Don't mistake my interest for caring. I'm just curious as to why someone would go to such lengths to steal from me." The Queen held the diamond up. "Perhaps I could help."

Peyton looked up from her struggle with the invisible bonds. "At what cost?"

"Nothing's for free, dear. There is always a price."

Peyton sized the dark woman up. What had she too lose? If she didn't tell her she'd die at the hands of the woman, if she did, she would still die. At least telling her would give her maybe a few minutes to concoct a plan. "I need it for my sister."

The Queen laughed. "What could you and your sister possibly need this diamond for?"

_**Present**_

Yeah, everyone was corrupt in some way or another?

Peyton slipped from her stool and stood up. "Why don't you worry about yourself, your highness." She gave a small mocking curtsey, paid for her coffee and left.

**XXX**

"Need help?"

Ocean turned to find a young man with light brown hair standing, hands in pockets of what she knew where expensive pants. Ever since her Ma had met Regina, her clothes had begun costing more than their TV, her wardrobe cost more than their house. She also remembered seeing him at the diner when the mean man had been yelling at her Mom. "I can't reach that one and it looks ripe." She pointed towards the apple she was trying to reach for.

The man stepped over to the tree and picked the bright red apple and handed it to the girl with a smile. "I'm Henry," he introduced with a hand held out to the little girl.

"Ocean," she reciporcated shaking the mans hand.

"Well it's nice to meet you. Your Mom making apple pie?" He asked with a warm smile.

Ocean nodded. "It's my favorite."

Henry beamed, "Mine too. She makes the meanest apple pie, doesn't she?"

Ocean nodded enthusiastically. "That she does. The crust is yummy."

Henry groaned in thought of eating his mothers apple pie and it's crust. "Oh god I know."

Ocean giggled.

Henry gave a small chuckle of his own. "How old are you?"

Ocean beamed and proudly announced. "Twelve, I'll be thirteen, next week."

"Wow, you're old."

Ocean chuckled. "I'm not that old."

"Old enough for Fairytale's?" Henry asked with curiosity.

Ocean shook her head. "Mom doesn't like Fairytale's."

"I bet she doesn't." Henry said under his breath before giving a big smile at the little girl, who was somewhat his sister, in some way. God, their family tree was so screwed up he wouldn't surprised if he was related to half of the town. "She's amazing isn't she?"

Ocean nodded. "She can be mean sometimes like when she tells me to go to bed at a certain time or I can't watch a certain movie but she says it's for my own good and that sleeping helps me grow." She gave a small shrug, "But Ma always sneaks me candy," she paused slapping a hand over her mouth. "I wasn't supposed to say that."

Henry chuckled and held up a finger to his lips. "Don't worry it's our secret."

Ocean nodded and removed her hand from her mouth. "But I still love her. Plus she's smart, real smart and really pretty too. I'm going to be just like her. I want to be Mayor."

Henry smiled sadly. Had she gone out and replaced him with this little girl? She had told him she would always love him but here he was standing in front of this twelve, almost thirteen year old girl, who referred to his mother as hers. His mother who had left town, without a word to him, without a letter to him. He remembered when he had been told his mother had left town, she had abandoned him, the one thing he thought she would never do.

**XXX**

"How long are you back for?" Snow asked.

"I said two weeks in the diner the other day, my plans still haven't changed. The quicker I'mout of her, the happier I am." Regina spoke placing a lid over the spaghetti.

"You look good, Regina."

Regina looked up from the pots and towards the pixie haired woman across from her. "What do you really want, Snow. Come here to gloat."

"What do I have to gloat about?"

"The Evil Queen having feelings, feelings for your daughter that weren't reciporcated. You finally won, you cracked the Evil Queen. You should be happy to know that I left crying, I cried for miles and I cried for weeks. Over Henry, over your daughter." Regina told truthfully as she duster her hands and flipped her hair out of the collar of her shirt.

"I won't feel bad about that. I refuse to feel bad about that after everything you did. Sure Regina some of the things are excuseable, coming after me being one of them...but killing my father, innocents and stealing peoples hearts? You can't pin everything on everybody else Regina." Snow pointed out some of the flaws in the Queen's past.

"Nobody's perfect Miss White, your father wasn't."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Regina shook her head and turned away from the woman before her. She had swore to herself never to reveal such a thing to Snow White. No matter what Snow did or that man did to her, she may be evil but she wasn't that evil that she would ruin the girls beliefs that her father was a great man. She wouldn't disagree, he was a great father, but a husband? A man? He was cruel and demanding, controlling, he took what he wanted.

"Well?"

Shaking her head once again, she spoke. "Nothing. What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize for Charming, Kyler and Ocean don't deserve to be caught in the middle of our feud and no matter what happens, Regina, I don't hate you. I might despise you but I don't hate you. I'm glad your happy, you deserve it."

Regina scoffed and followed her arms. It was instinct, a protective gesture that she had done all her life. One that she had noticed Kyler owned aswell. "As long as it wasn't your daughter, right?"

Snow bowed her head. "Her happiness is too, Neal or so we thought."

"Is she with him? Or anyone for that matter?" Regina asked quietly, not knowing whether she wanted to know the answer to that or not.

Snow shook her head and looked up at the brunette in front of her. "When, Henry hit fourteen and Emma still refused to date him and all Henry would talk about was you and Emma never told him off about it, Neal, packed up and left Storybrooke. Nobody has heard from him in four years, last we heard was that he had found himself someone else and had gotten engaged." Snow shrugged, "Part of me blames, Emma and Henry for always talking about you and bringing you up. Charming just outright blames you. But I know deep down that if Neal truly cared, he'd still be here."

Regina looked away. "Anyone else?" She reiterated the question.

Snow looked away herself. "No, never has been. Ten years and she hasn't even looked at someone like she was interested. Not even a gleam. She spends most of her time working, at her apartment and with Henry." Snow gave a small shrug before turning back to Regina. "I hate to admit it but maybe she cared about you a lot more then either me or Charming knew."

Regina shook her head. "If she did, she would have said something." With a shrug of her own she continued, "And it's too late now anyway. I love Kyler and I plan on marryin-"

"And she scores!"

Regina and Snow both snapped their heads around to face the sudden interruption that sounded from the backyard. Regina gave a quick glance towards Snow who looked back at her before they both moved towards the backyard, Regina in the lead and Snow bringing up the rear.

**XXX**

"Just stay away from Regina."

Emma shook her head. "I won't do that."

"She's not your's to love."

"She's not your's either."

Kyler's voice rose and her tone grew harder. "The ring on my finger and her's say otherwise."

"And yet here we are, you standing here in a town that she left, standing in front of the history look alike of yours telling her to stay away from the woman that supposedly loves yo-" Emma didn't see it coming when the fist collided with her jaw. She looked back at the blonde who awaited the next reaction. She didn't think twice about it before spear tackling the blonde woman into the filing cabinet, sending it tumbling to the ground.

** XXX  
**  
"And the crowd goes wild!" Henry made some fake crowd roaring noises as he and Ocean ran around in circles. The soccerball he had left behind in his mothers backyard now kicked in between the make shift goal that was the tree and a potted plant. He had never used the ball and had been more focused on the book instead.

"Ocean, come here."

Henry turned away from the little girl to find his mother, who looked slightly older in the light of the sun but she still looked to be her beautiful, youthful, regal self. Just like his mother, they never seemed to age. "Mom."

"I'm not your mother, something you've made abundantly clear." Regina pointed out as she hugged the girl to her hip.

"I was thirteen yea-"

"Stay away from my family," Regina stated coldly before looking over towards Snow. "You too and you can tell that daughter of yours to keep away. Two weeks and I'll be out of your hair like you wanted me to me all those years ago."

Henry turned to Snow, "Grandma, what's Mom talking about?"

Regina's phone interrupted anymore inquiries into rehashing the past. It blared out the normal ring tone and she picked up hesitantly on the third ring. "Mills." Regina looked up at Snow as her face, her own growing redder with every words that she heard over the device that was held to her ear.

**So I've left a few things unanswered that will be answered in time. One question I'll let you ponder right now as well as the others, what happen's when Henry gives Ocean the 'Once Upon A Time' book? Because that is going too happen. But as I've said numerous times, this will have a happy ending for all. Plus also I'm not sure whether or not to go into detail with the fight between Kyler and Emma or just leave it as it is and allow your minds to fill in the blanks.  
**


	8. Repitition Is Old

**Okay first I want to say thank you all for the reviews. Whether you want Emma together with Regina or not I love hearing back from you but it does make one of the future chapters I have Kyler in harder to write. So I would just like to remind everyone that this will be a rollercoaster and I can assure you somewhere along the line you're probably going to really truly hate me and Kyler for that matter but please stick it out to the end. Even though it's Swan Queen, Emma will fix what's she's done and Kyler will get her happy ending, and as something that has happened to me in real life - Ocean will be fine. I can't go into detail with her or a lot of it, so you will just have to trust me that everything will work out in DUE time. Enjoy.**

**XXX**

Regina entered the hospital, to the sight of white tiles, white walls and the smell of disinfectant, the natural of a hospital. She glanced around the entryway briefly before moving down the halls, small strides so that the child beside her could keep up. Snow and Henry tagged along behind with worry on their faces.

Regina turned a few more corridors before turning sharply into one of the rooms. She knew the hospital off by heart. She remembered the town. It was hard to forget something that had been apart of you for so long. No, love, does crazy things like that.

"What do you think you two are doing?" Regina asked in that Mayoral tone she had all but perfected over the years she had spent being Mayor of Storybrooke.

"Regina, calm down." Kyler told her holding up her hands. "Take a breather for a second."

"A breather?" Regina released the squirming girl at her side who leapt towards her Ma. Tackling her with a hug. "I get a call to come down to the hospital because you and Emma have gotten into a fight and the both of you need stitches."

Kyler opened her mouth to ask why Regina had been on Emma's contact detail at the hospital but with a look at the blonde beside her, she shut her mouth and kept it shut letting Regina continue with her rant.

"Your telling me to 'take a breather'?" Regina asks with disbelief, breathing heavily when she finally finishes her rant.

Emma and Kyler shared a brief look before both bursting into laughter. Regina, Snow and Henry just stared at the women like they had grown a second head and then a third quickly after that.

"O oh." Ocean backed up and shook her head. "You're in trouble now."

Regina gave the two blondes a curious look. "What are you two laughing at?"

"You're so cute when your upset and mad." Kyler said with a wide smile. "I won-"

"Cute little panda." Emma spoke interrupting Kyler next sentence. Together they both started laughing again.

Regina gave them both curious looks before Dr. Whale strode into the office in his high almighty posture. He wasn't even that much of a real doctor, sure he knew a lot but still. She hated him, she really truly did. He rambled on for a few minutes until he came to the end, the one part that actually made Regina take notice.

Turning to the two blonde's she gave them a look of disbelief. "You're high?"

_**1 Hour Ago (Sheriff's Department)**_

The brawl was all out within a matter of minutes. Cabinets, desk, cupboards, even the bed from the cell lay astrewn all over the interior of the Sheriff's department. But it was after the lamp had been knocked of the final desk before two bodies landed squarely through it, sending the lamp tumbling to the ground and onto the large bag of marijuana, shattering the bulb and sending the green leaves up in a blaze of fire.

Both women jumped apart, bruised and bleeding. Emma had a gash up her arm and a rather deep one on her forhead from the glass that she had landed on and Kyler didn't look much better with cuts on her face and a bruise already starting to form under her eye. They both took a glance at one another, then at the fire, then at one another before they jumped into action and quickly started stomping on the leaves. Inhaling the smoke coming in quantities from the green bag.

_**Present**_

It was just a little over four hours when Kyler awoke with a throbbing headache. She glanced around her dimly lit hospital room, until the sound of slight tapping sounded from the doorway. Kyler snapped her head around and immediately regretted it upon the increase of throbbing in her head. "Ah shit!"

Peyton chuckled. "Well hi to you too." She stepped inside the room and dug her hands into her pockets, sporting a rather amused smile.

"Sorry," Kyler raised both her hands to her temples and pressed, trying to relieve some of the pain upstairs.

"I heard Regina tell the Doctor that she would be back shortly, just had to go get some dinner for Ocean and do not fear I think she mentioned something to Ocean about getting you a burger and fries." Peyton said with a smirk, "Real food...yipee!"

Kyler blinked slightly and looked to her left at the mousy brown haired woman standing before her. "Not to sound rude, but why are you here?"

"I was actually..." Peyton paused and glanced nervously down at her feet. "I was in the hospital already, visiting a friend." She gave a small shrug, "I thought I'd stop by, that's okay right?"

Kyler nodded. "Yeah, just making sure you didn't go out of your way to check on the woman who decided it was a good idea to get into a fight with the Sheriff." Kyler groaned, "Well there goes my career."

Peyton laughed wholeheartedly. "Don't fret, Sheriff Swan isn't pressing charges."

Kyler nodded and had to admit she was somewhat greatful, afterall she had been the first to swing, the blonde Sheriff could declare self-defense. "Geez, what hit me?"

Peyton cringed at the battered look that the blonde woman sported. She looked very much like the Sheriff did when she had seen her exiting the hospital with a slight limp and burnt pants. "I think the better question is, what didn't hit you?"

"I feel like crap," she rubbed a hand over her face and cringed. "Why do I smell like weed?"

Peyton hid a chuckle behind a snort and quickly answered so she wouldn't break into a fit of laughter at the womans expense. "Uh you and the Sheriff, sort of," she made hand gestures before coming out with it. "You guys got high stomping out a bag of marijuana that the Sheriff had confiscated from a bunch of teenagers. Apparently it had caught on fire during your little rumble."

"We lit weed on fire?" Kyler asked with curiosity before groaning and falling backwards onto the bed. "Great not only did I get into a fight with the Sheriff, I got high as well. Oh god!" Kyler shot upwards causing slight whiplash to her back. "Regina is going to kill me! Physically! Then mentally! Then physically again!" Kyler looked up at the firefighter with pleading eyes. "Hide me." She squeaked.

"I'm afraid hiding will do you no good, dear."

Kyler cringed slightly and quickly ducked under the blanket, only to feel a tiny body land with an 'oof' on top of her. She squirmed until she had a firm hold of her daughter and quickly buried them both under the sheet.

"Well, I should, uh go." Peyton thumbed towards the doorway.

Kyler poked her head out from under the blanket. "You sure?"

"Yeah let you guys eat, just don't get caught." Peyton added the last bit with an awkward smile down at her feet.

"Kay' well I'll see you later, right?"

Peyton nodded.

"See you, Peyton!" Ocean exclaimed from her spot under the hospital sheets.

"See you, Ocean." Peyton gave a small wave to the girl before turning to look at the brunette by her side. "Miss Mills." She nodded politely before stepping out.

Regina turned to look at mother and daughter wrestling one another in a fit of giggles, it was noticeable that Kyler looked in pain but that woman would do anything for her daughter. Just to see that smile. Regina placed the paper brown bag on the table and excused herself from the room to catch up with Peyton who was already halfway down the hall. "Miss Caverly, wait!"

Peyton pulled to a stop and spun on her heel. Coming face to face with the one woman who at one point in her life, she had loathed, had despised. Now, now she honestly was one of the only people Peyton could honestly say she would stand back to back with and hope that none should over power them.

Regina cleared her throat as she came to a stop in front of the woman. "How's your sister?"

_**FairyTale Land**_

Peyton strung high up in the air by invisible bonds had no other option than to comply with the question that was thrown at her by the Evil Queen. She resigned herself to her fate before answering, "My sister is ill. Gravely so."

The Evil Queen gave the woman a curious look. "Yet, this diamond has no healing properties."

Peyton tore her eyes away from the Queen and ceased her struggle against the bonds.

"The diamond isn't for your sister. It's to get help for your sister, am I right?"

Peyton looked back up at the Evil Queen. "Yes. The doctor refuses to help me, I haven't the money to help her, this was my only option."

"You work for Snow White and Prince Charming. Why didn't you ask them for assistance?" She asked now fully invested in hearing the whole story.

Peyton looked away. "They can't do anything, with the war, they have more pressing issues."

The Evil Queen let out a small laugh. "Is that what they told you? Dear, unless it suits them they couldn't care less."

Peyton scoffed. "And your much different? You kill to get what you want, no matter whose in your way."

Once more laughter came from the Queen. "That may be true but let me tell you something." She rolled the diamond over in her palm. "The doctor who wants this, is no doctor. Not in any sense."

"What are you talking about?" Peyton demanded.

"Let me guess, he just happened on you by chance?" The Evil Queen let out another light hearted laugh full of mockery. "He definitely knows how to play people." She gave a small evil smirk towards the woman. This was gold and all her's. "You know I could use a personal guard with skills such as yours. You did wipe out a group of my finest soldiers with not so much as a scratch on you."

Peyton let out her own laugh of disbelief. "What makes you think I'd ever betray the true King and Queen? Unlike you, I'm loyal."

The Queen shrugged. "Loyalty is overrate and anyway you only have two choices as I see it."

"I'd rather die."

"Well, come now, don't say that until you hear what I have to say." She waited for any sign of disagreement or malice from the other woman, when none came she continued. "Choice one is you die," holding up her hand she raised a second finger. "Or choice two, you work for me-"

"I told you I'd die first."

The Evil Queen let out a 'tsk' in frustration. "So impatient. You didn't let me finish the barganing." She waited for any sign of resistance. "Good, you work for me as my personal guard and in return I'll heal your sister. Perfect. As good as new actually. She'll live to be perfectly healthy."

Peyton's eyes shot towards the Queen. Could she do that? Could she give herself, a life of indentured servitude to the Evil Queen's guard, to save her sister? Yes, yes she could. She would. Within a heartbeat. Peyton squeezed her eyes shut, sent a small apology on the wind to Snow White and Prince Charming the true rulers of the Enchanted Forest. "All I have to do is serve you?"

The laugh returned and the bonds released. "Yes, I suppose you could say that."

Peyton let out a rather loud 'omph' as she hit the ground with her knees, so hard she thought they would shatter. She glanced up at the woman hovering above her. "Once my sister is healed we'll have our deal."

The Evil Queen smirked. "Very well, dear." She took hold off Peyton's elbow and together they vanished in a cloud of smoke.

_**Storybrooke**_

"Thanks to you she's fine." Peyton looked away from Regina, keeping her eyes on anything but the woman across from her. "Thank you."

"You do-"

"Yes," Peyton cut in snapping her attention around to the former Evil Queen. How long had she been the 'former Evil Queen' to her? Years? Decades? "I owe you a lot." Lowering her voice she continued, "When you cast the curse, you could have left out the deal you made with me and as far as you knew, I wouldn't have remembered."

Regina swallowed.

"Yet, here you are, paying for my sister's treatment." Peyton looked back down at her boots. "I owe you Regina, more than I could ever repay." She nodded towards the hospital room they had both exited. "You should get back to them," she gave a small bow of her head. "Your, Majesty."

Regina watched the woman spin on her heels and start down the hall. It didn't matter what she said, Regina always knew that deep down inside that debt was more than over-payed. She owed her nothing. Regina owed her everything.

**XXX**

Regina drove quietly along the streets of Storybrooke, her passenger humming quietly to 'Video Killed The Radio Star'. Her other small passenger quietly sitting in the back. Regina shot a glance in the rear view mirror to find the girl hunched over intently looking at something that was hidden from her line off sight.

"What have you got there?"

Ocean looked up at Regina. "Did you know, Storybrooke is a town in this book?"

Regina let out a small chuckle as she turned onto the street that led to the mansion. "Really?"

"Yeah," Ocean nodded eagerly. "The Evil Queen cursed everyone to the real world unti-"

Kyler snorted. "Fairytale's sweetheart?" The woman shook her head. "You know their fake right? I don't get why people are so fascinated with them. I mean seriously, Snow White meets Prince Charming and blah, blah, blah, they live happily ever after." She snorted again and sarcastically added. "Hit stop, I think the repeat button's stuck." She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "That story is over done i reckon. They need something new. Original. I should become a writer. Write something new."

Regina wasn't listening to a word her fiancee was saying, instead she stared blankly out the windscreen of the SUV as she sub consciously drove the rest of the way to the mansion. "What's the book called?" She asked once she pulled up to the house.

Kyler gave her a look of disbelief. "You, you read fairytales? Seriously?"

Reigna asked again, ignoring the blonde. "What's the book called?"

Ocean closed the thick book over and read aloud. "Once Upon A Time."

Regina shot out of the car and in the blink of an eye had the back door yanked open and the book snatched out of the sandy blonde haired girls hands. "Who gave this to you?"

Kyler jumped out of the vehicle, looking over the top off the SUV she inquired upon her wife's reaction to the title of the book. "What's the problem? It's a book."

Regina asked again. "Who gave this to you?"

Ocean backed away from Regina towards the opposite side of the car where her Ma was already opening the door and pulling her out as she answered. "Henry. He said it was a good book."

Regina glanced down at the brown cover. "That lit-"

"What the hell is your problem?" Kyler asked holding the girl to her body as she shut the back door.

"Excuse me?"

Kyler gave a glare down at the book. "It's just a bloody book and your going off your head about it?" Kyler shook her head and rounded the car, "Geez!" With that she made her way towards the mansion that remained unlocked in the small town of Storybrooke.

"Henry." Regina glanced up to find Kyler entering the mansion with Ocean in her arms. The little girl looked to be sobbing. She hated herself for reacting like she did but she had to solve this problem before it got out of hand. Before history repeated itself. Regina jumped in the SUV and backed out of the driveway.

**Okay a short chapter but the next one will be up in about a day or two. I've had a sudden writing spur with this story, I can't seem to stop writing. I can tell you now that Henry and Regina are going to have a talk in the next chapter, but I have to admit I'm still on the edge on whether or not to have Regina and Henry forgive one another since there are a lot of people 'for' and a lot of people 'against' so I'm stuck. Peyton and Kyler will have more interaction coming up in the next chapter and also I'm trying to decide whether or not to give you guy's a cliff hanger or also add 'the' Regina/Emma talk in the next chapter where she'll apologize.**


	9. Love Makes It Hard To Hate

Regina pulled the SUV to a screeching halt against the curb. So hard she jerked back against the seat. Jumping out she stormed over towards the somewhat surprised look man. "How dare you!" She exclaimed throwing the book harshly towards his chest, forcing the man to stagger slightly.

He gave her a confused look. "Huh?"

"Wasn't it enough that you didn't love me?!" She yelled. Her hand shot up quickly stopping the young man in front of her from defending himself against her words. This was her chance to finally get off her chest what she couldn't all those years ago, when he was just a little boy. "Or do you hate me that much that you have to get Ocean to hate me aswell?! Is that your's and Emma's plan?! Didn't she hurt me enough already?! Isn't she satisfied with the fact I can never have what I want?!" She didn't give him a chance to answer the question and instead fired off again. "What is your problem?! I loved you! I gave you ten years! Ten years! I gave you everything you wanted, plus a roof over your head, food on the table, clothes and everything else and yet I wasn't enough!"

"Mo-"

"No! You don't get to call me that! Ten years! You didn't even bother to look for me!"

"You left me! You left Emma behind! You don't get the right to be mad at her! Me, sure, but not her!" Henry shook his head. "You have no idea how broken she was when you left."

Regina shot backwards in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"When you took off did you stop to think for a second, even for a moment, what it would do to Emma?" Henry shook his head. "Maybe I was right all along, you'll never change. You'll always be evil."

"Is that what she told you?"

It was Henry's turn to give the brunette a quizzical look. "Mom didn't say anything, she barely spoke for months and when she did it wasn't her. She sounded hollow."

"You mean, Emma didn't tell you?"

Henry shook his head. "Grandpa and Grandma told me the tru-"

"Told you what Henry?"

Henry and Regina both snapped around to find the blonde Sheriff standing on the curb behind the SUV looking rather lost at what the yelling was about. Briefly Regina wondered how much the woman had heard.

Emma asked again. "Told you what Henry?"

_**10 Years Ago (1 Week After Regina Left)**_

"Grandpa? Grandma?"

"Yeah buddy?" Charming asked moving his Monopoly piece across the board four spaces.

It was yet another night that his mother had disappeared, saying she had work but Henry knew better. Well, he didn't know where she was or what she was doing, all he knew was that when he inquired on behalf of his mother working to Ruby she had said that Emma hadn't been to the department for a while. "I know I shouldn't care but have you seen Mom lately? She hasn't come to see me or talked to me in a while."

"She picked you up from school and took you to school today." Snow answered.

"I meant Regina, not Emma."

Snow let the dice slip from her hand as Charming froze beside her. Yet still, he was quicker to come back down to realiy that it didn't seem to odd to the boy across from them.

"Henry," he shuffled around the table to the little boy. "She left."

"Left? What do mean?"

"She just packed up and left."

"Is that why Emma's sad?"

Charming looked across the table to his wife before answering the boy. "Yeah, Regina just took off, she was cruel to Emma."

"Is that why Emma no longer talks about Regina and isn't happy anymore?"

Charming shrugged slightly. "I don't know. But it's best to forget about it and not bring it up to your mother, you don't want to hurt her anymore than she already is. Okay?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah."

"Now come on, let's get back to this game before I lose to much."

_**Present**_

"They told you that?" Emma asked with disbelief.

Henry nodded with a small shrug. "I was thirteen, what was I supposed to believe."

Regina scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "For thirteen, you obviously had a lot of opinions about me, opinions that would have helped them come up with a believable lie."

Emma shook her head. "This is all my fault."

"I won't argue with you there, Miss Swan."

Looking up at Henry she started. "I should have told you, I didn't think that they would lie to you. I helped send your mother away, me, your grandpa, your grandma and Neal. Regina had no choice." Turning to look at Regina she caught the brunette's eyes. "I made the biggest mistake that day."

Regina kept her gaze locked with the blonde Sheriff. Those eyes sad and angry. Not at her, she knew the look they held when the blonde was angry at her. This time she was angry at herself, angry at others. Yet looking into those blue-green eyes, she felt safe and for the first time in over ten years, she felt at home. Tearing her eyes away from Emma's she looked down at the ground, hugging herself tighter. "You can't change the past, Miss Swan."

**XXX**

"Hey!" Kyler called with a wave as the jogging firefighter took a look around until she spotted the blonde waving at her. Kyler gave her a curious look. "Stalking me, are we?"

Peyton laughed as she looked both ways before crossing the road towards the blonde who was standing by the mail box that still seemed to receive items of mail. "Totally! I'm incognito at the moment." She motioned to her clothes.

Kyler laughed and added sarcastically. "Yeah doing a good job too."

Peyton laughed along with the blonde before answering truthfully. "Actually I've been avoinding runs for the past few weeks and my Chief just caught me. So, here I am, forced to run the perimeter of Storybrooke. Yep, it sucks."

"Not a runner either huh?"

Screwing up her face, she shook her head violently. "No way. Hell no. I hate running, it's terrible on the feet and knees and then all that bouncing...let's just say it doesn't help."

Kyler let out a loud laugh for a few seconds. "Tell me about it. I think the guys just like telling us women to run for their sake."

"Nothing to do with health benefits." Peyton added.

"Right."

"So where's Regina?" She pointed at the empty driveway.

"I think she went to go flip at the Sheriff's son." Kyler shrugged, "I don't know she flipped over this Fairytale book and went crazy. She told Ocean off and now we're both inside drowing our sorrows in carton of ice-cream."

Peyton gave a small weak smile. _What the hell is Henry playing at? _Peyton thought but an inquiry into an answer was cut off when Kyler spoke up again, this time with an invitation.

"Would you care for a coffee?" She held up her hands, "If it makes your boss happy, you can jog into the kitchen and jog on the spot."

Peyton gave an amused smirk. "I think I'm done for the day, but, I'll take you up on that coffee."

**XXX**

The door slammed shut behind Emma with a loud _Bang! _That had to have been heard on the other side of Storybrooke, as it definitely shook the walls of the apartment building. She stormed her way through the living room towards the kitchen where her parents stood making lunch with smiles on their face. _What the hell did they have to be happy about? _

"What the fuck did you think you were playing at?!"

Charming looked up from his sandwich in shock. "What?"

"Emma langu-"

"No don't you language me! How about you explain Henry?!" Emma asked leaning against the counter before her. God her head hurt, not to mention spun in so many different directions.

"Henry?"

"Yeah, you know the boy that is mine and Regina's son-"

"Your's and Neal's son," Charming corrected going back to his sandwich.

"No!" Emma shook her head and quickly snatched the knife away from her father to gather the full attention of the man. "Mine and Regina's. I had the kid and Regina looked after him for ten years. Neal wanted nothing to do with him point blank and when thing's got too tough he took off at the first chance and the last I heard he ended up married to a hooker in Vegas."

"Is that really as bad as Regina corrupting the poor kid?" Charming asked with an angry tone as he himself leant against the counter.

Emma gave her parents a look of disbelief. "Vegas. Hooker. Did you hear any of that?" Shaking her head she pushed forward. "It doesn't matter because Regina didn't corrupt him. She loved him and I was too stupid to see that." Shaking her head, Emma returned to the previous line of questioning while the throbbing continued. "Why did you tell Henry it was Regina's fault?"

"Em-" Snow started again.

"The truth! I want the damn truth this time!" She screamed, "No more of your bullshit lies!"

"It was what was for the best." Charming answered for his wife who remained silent beside him. "He didn't need to know the truth."

"Best for who? You? Him? Me?" Emma let out a laugh of disbelief. "Did you ever consider me for even a second? Do you know I spent every night for those ten years at Regina's? In Regina's bed? Curled up hugging her pillow. Crying myself to sleep. Do you even care?"

"We're not talkin-"

"No let's talk about this!" Emma yelled slamming the knife into the counter until it was standing upright. "Cause I think it's about time! You were so stuck in your own little world, that you wanted the happy ending that you wanted for me. You didn't even consider what I wanted?"

"And you believe your happy ending is with Regina?" Charming asked with distaste.

Emma shook her head, took a step back and turned for the door. No matter what she said, they wouldn't listen. With her hand on the door handle she finished with the one thing she had always wanted to say to them since that day ten years ago. "I should never have chosen you over her."

**XXX**

Kyler threw her hands into the air with a loud cheer as she jumped to her feet. "And she scores! Whose the best Grifball player on the planet?!"

"You cheated!" Ocean declared, controller in hand.

Kyler threw a dismissive wave at her daughter ."Pfft, you can't cheat on Grifball."

Peyton looked down at the twelve year old and nodded in agreement. "She cheated."

Kyler gave her daughter and the guest a look of utter disbelief. "You two are just sore losers."

"Really?" Peyton folded her arms with an amused smirk on her face as she looked back towards Ocean. " A little birdie told me that you are terrible at danci-"

"I'll go get Dance Central!" Ocean screamed jumping to her feet with excitement as she spun, ran around the sofa and took of towards the stairs and up to the bedroom.

Kyler shook her head and face palmed. Peeking lightly through the cracks between her fingers she quickly told the woman still sitting on the other end of the sofa. "If I fall over and break my leg, I'm suing, just so you know."

Peyton laughed. "Well then I should go ahead and declare bankruptcy now, cause by the time I'm finished with my hospital bill for breaking my own leg. I'll be broke."

"I don't believe that for a second," Kyler lowered her hand and gave the woman a quizzical look. "Shouldn't fire men and women have good footwork."

"Shouldn't FBI Agent's have fancy footwork?" Peyton retorted with a question of her own.

"Touché." Kyler answered and quickly gathered up the empty beer bottles. "Want another?"

Peyton shook her head. "Nah I'm good, thanks. I gotta work tonight and should you even be drinking? Doesn't it affect the medication?"

"This is my medication." Kyler corrected, "What about a soda?"

"Sure!" Peyton called out to the woman who had just vanished completely into the kitchen. Now alone she glanced around the room, taking in the new surroundings. Sure she was a friend of Regina's but never once had she been in the womans house and it was somewhat strange to be inside it now, especially without the woman knowing. _What would Regina say? _

"Here you go," Kyler interrupted whatever thoughts were to come next as she held out a soda can to the woman.

Kyler took the offered drink with a small 'thanks' and ditched the train off thought from before. She'd worry about it later, it wasn't a big deal right now. Plus, she had done far worse. Far, far worse.

_**FairyTale Land**_

Regina and Peyton reappeared in a matter off moments, the quick and sudden reappearance sent a headache straight to Peyton's head. The world spun briefly until it all settled and the headache slowly started to ebb away. That was something she really didn't want to try again anytime soon. She glanced around the room, finally recognizing the room's interior as her sisters. Jumping apart from the Evil Queen she quickly made her way to the bed that her sick sister lay upon.

"Claire, I'm here and I have help." She said brushing strands of hair from her sister's sweat drenched face.

"How touching."

Peyton spun around to face the noise. It wasn't the Evil Queen's voice she knew that much and when she finally faced the voice's occupant, she found herself face to face with the Doctor.

The Evil Queen just sighed in frustration an utter unamusement. "You can drop the facade now."

The doctor's form quickly shifted and in place Rumpelstiltskin stood with his mischievous childlike grin and giddy persona. Turning to face Peyton he held out his hand, "The diamond and I shall do you two favors, save your sister and rid you off the Queen."

Peyton looked between the two Evil persona's now standing in the room. How could she not have seen through the disguise? No doctor would risk their own heads for a gem, no matter how powerful it was.

The Queen scoffed. "That I would like to see."

"Dearie?" He pushed towards Peyton, hand extended, patience wearing thin.

Somehow, strangely, Peyton felt more trusting in the Evil Queen that she did Rumpelstiltskin, even if she didn't she could fight the Queen for the diamond. No retrieval was impossible. "Deal's off."

"You're breaking a deal with me?" He asked.

"Seem's like it." The Evil Queen answered for Peyton who backed away from the two.

Rumpel growled and quickly vanished in the way he usually does. Within the blink of an eye.

"We have a deal?" Peyton asked glancing over to the Queen.

The Evil Queen waved her hand over the sick young woman and quickly declared. "She should be fine in a day or two."

Peyton nodded and quickly stepped up to the Evil Queen hand extended. "Then it's a deal."

The Queen took the hand and unsuspectingly was spun around and pressed with her back to the womans front a blade to her throat. She let out a laugh and felt the blade loosen from her neck. "Now you are brave, or foolish."

"You might want to rephrase considering our positions."

The Queen smirked as she spoke, the amusement in her voice rising. "If you kill me your sister also dies."

Peyton gave a quizzical look to the side of the Queen's head.

"You don't actually think I would be stupid enough to heal her and not make sure I had my end secured? Do you? Because I'll tell you now, that your sister's life and mine are tied together. I die, she dies."

"I don't believe you."

"Then by all means, slash away, I won't even try to stop you."

Peyton looked towards her sister and back towards the Queen secured tightly in her arms. With anger she realsed the Queen with a push as she pocketed the dagger.

"You have your work cut out for you. Wouldn't want anything to happen to that precious sister of yours. Would you?"

"On one condition."

The Evil Queen let out a chuckle. "You're in no barganing position, dear."

"For decieving me and getting me into this mess, I want Rumpel's head on a pike."

The chuckle turned into a full blow laugh. "Oh, sweet revenge." She shook her head, "It seems we aren't so different after all."

**XXX**

"Emma, open up please." Snow called from the hall as she knocked lightly on the door.

A few months after Regina had left Storybrooke, Emma had moved out of her mother and father's small apartment and moved a floor up to an empty apartment with Henry. It was small, but, it was their's and they had a room each, not that she ever used hers. But, things weren't so bad.

Emma yanked open the door. "What?!"

"Can I come in?"

With a sigh, Emma took a step back away from the door waiting for her mother to step inside before shutting the door roughly behind the pixie haired woman. Ignoring her mother, she spun on her heels and quickly started down apartment towards the stairs that led to the bedrooms.

Snow followed quietly along behind her daughter, who still refused to look at her. "Are you okay?"

Emma scoffed in disbelief. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

"Have you tried talking to her?" Snow inquired once they finally reached Emma's room.

Emma sighed, dropping down onto the bed with a _Thunk! _"Yeah. She doesn't want anything to do with and honestly, I don't blame her. I screwed up and now I have to live with it. I lost my chance with Regina."

Swallowing, Snow sat down beside her daughter. "I don't believe that."

Emma gave her a look that told the woman too continue.

"She seemed rather interested in whether or not you were with anyone when I went over to see her today." Snow pointed out. They sat in silence contemplating for a few minutes. "Why don't you text her?"

Emma shook her head and fiddled with the zip of her jacket. "I think I should let Regina have her happy ending with Kyler. I lost my chance and if the only way I can show I love Regina is by letting her go, then so be it."

"Text her." Snow persisted. "Ask her to meet you in the park, at the docks, I don't know, somewhere. Don't mention anything else. If she loves you, she'll come with no questions asked, if she texts or rings you back, or doesn't show up..." she paused placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Then you'll have your answer."

Emma gave some thought to this. What had she to lose? If Regina did question her and yelled at her to leave her alone or didn't show up than she would finally know whether or not she was the past. She would finally find out whether or not Kyler was her future. What had she to lose?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

**XXX**

Regina sat on the park bench staring off into space, blocking out all thoughts about everything. She didn't want to think. If she did, she'd remember everything. All the lies she was telling. All the secrets she was keeping. She honestly believed she was doing it to keep them safe, but a small part deep down inside her knew that the life she would share with Kyler would be a lie if she persisted in not telling the woman everything.

She was scared. Terrified.

"Mom?"

Regina looked up from her inner thoughts to find Henry standing beside her looking down at her.

"Can I sit?" He asked.

Regina sighed but shifted over to make room for the young man. He had grown up so, so much. She looked him over. He had some stubble growing on his face but it looked to be freshly shaven. His hair was neatly combed over and he wore neatly pressed and cleaned clothes that looked expensive. It was good to see that some of the things she had taught him, hadn't left him when he moved out and moved in with Emma and the Charmings. It was good to see she rubbed off on him in some way.

"I'm sorry for everything. I'm an idiot." He started, quickly correcting himself. "More than an idiot, I'm completely stupid." He shook his head. "Sure you may have been the Evil Queen but, you loved me. I believed that evil couldn't love and nobody but you, who was supposed to be evil, told me otherwise. Emma tried at some points but I adored her, I didn't want to believe that you could change. I wanted to believe I was right, so I did, I refused to believe anything else." Henry held up his hand stopping Regina from speaking. "I know that nothing I say will repair all the years we've lost. I can't turn back time and change things and even if I could, I wouldn't. That might contradict what I'm saying but, as I've found out no one is perfect and if it weren't for every little thing that has happened. We wouldn't be sitting here." He motioned to the park and the small flock of birds in the short distance.

"What do you want Henry?" Regina asked emotionless.

"I want you too forgi-"

"That's not going to happen."

Henry looked down at his shoes. "Maybe not right away. It'll take time I know. But can we try?"

Regina placed her hand over the stray one of Henry's that rested on his knee. "Thing's will never go back to the way they were. To when it was just you and me. In some way, you will always be my son Henry. But after everything, and not all of it is your fault, a lot of it has to do with me and keeping..." Regina gave a small smile at what she was saying and how much value it held in the present. "Secrets. I can't forgive you yet and I don't know if I ever will but..." she gave a weak smile to Henry, "I'm willing to try."

Henry smiled back. "Can I hug you?" He asked.

"No," Regina shook her head and pulled her hand away before extending it to the young man. "But how about a hand shake?"

Henry accepted as Regina's phone sounded, signalling a text. He watched as the woman fished out her phone from her pocket and stared at it quizzically. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," she said, "Or at least I think it is."

"So, what now?" Henry asked.

Regina looked towards him. "I have something rather important to talk to Kyler and Ocean about, but, first I have a rather odd text from your mother."

"Ma?" He inquired with his own quizzical look.

"Yeah, she wants to meet me at the Docks."

"Are you going to go?" He asked.

**XXX**

Emma leant against the railing, book clutched in her hands while she looked out over the ocean water as it brushed up against the yachts docked against the pier. She inhaled the faint scent of sea water. She loathed and loved the smell of the ocean, she loved it because it signalled openess, a never ending stretch that continued as far as the eye could see. It was freedom. She loathed it for the exact same reasons. It was troubleless. Free.

"Miss Swan?"

Emma smiled lightly. "Do you smell that?"

"The ocean, Miss Swan?"

Emma pushed off the railing and turned to face the brunette. "Have you ever seen the sunset from the docks?"

"Miss Swan, why did you call me here?"

"I texted you and you came." Emma answered cryptically.

"If this is one of your games, Miss Swan, I can assure you it isn't amusing." Regina shook her head, taking a step back. "I shouldn't be here."

"And yet you're here," Emma held out her hands. "You came here."

"I wanted to tell you in person, Miss Swan. Stop contacting me. I'm not even sure how you got my number." With that Regina turned away from the blonde but was quickly stopped from retreating by a hand gripping the groove in her elbow.

"Wait," Emma held the woman until she turned to face her and her eyes showed her that she wasn't going to run anytime soon. She released her but didn't take a step back. "This is, Storybrooke, right?"

"Well it had better be, or otherwise I'm in the wrong town."

Emma cracked a smile. "This is the town of fairytales, so let me tell you one of my own." Emma waited for any resistance to come, none came and she immediately continued. "Once upon a time, there was this blonde woman, who was deeply and madly in love with this brunette. Now the brunette was beautiful, bitchy, insane, smart, intelligent, amazing, crazy but wonderful. She turned heads wherever she went, whether it was good or bad, she turned heads." Emma watched Regina look down at her feet, folding her arms in that defensive posture Emma was so used to seeing from the woman. But she wasn't keeping her out, not again. "Anyway, this brunette one time dialled the blonde and drunkenly declared her feelings for her. Now the blonde tried to warn her it wasn't the best time but the brunette being her stubborn self didn't listen. Now after the phone call, the next morning, the blonde and her parents and some weird dude, who she's not even sure what she saw in him and is currently married to a Vegas Hooker." Emma watched the brief 'what the fuck' look cross Regina's face. She waved it off. "Long story. Anyway, this small group went to the brunette's house and told her to pack up and leave. Now the brunette asked the blonde if this is what she wanted, and the blonde being a blonde went along with her parents and this weird guy even though all she wanted to scream was no and that she loved her back." Emma watched a tear create it's on path down the brunette's face until it fell from the tip of her nose. "This blonde watched the love of her life drive away and she didn't go after her. Ten years later, this brunette returns with a fiancee and a new kid that loves her unconditionally. But this blonde, she's still very much in love with the brunette and always has been but she fears she's lost her chance. All she wants to know, is, has she?"

Regina looked away from the blonde Sheriff, she refused to wipe the tears away from her eyes. If she did, it would prove this was real. She couldn't do that. Not to Kyler. But what good was love when you were lying about it? Regina took a step back. "I can't Mi-"

"I slept everyday for ten years in your bed. When your scent finally washed away or I had to wash the tears of mine from your sheets and pillow cases. I'd use your perfume in the bathroom, I'd spray it around the room, on the pillow cases and when I ran out I'd buy more of that hundred dollar scent just so I'd have a part of you with me." Emma squeezed her own eyes shut, "I was an idiot Regina. I gave up a chance at a happy ending in fear that you would throw me a way one day, I chose the safer path and went with my parents."

"Sometimes, the past is the past. Maybe it's time to let g-"

Emma shook her head interrupting Regina's sentence. "No," she shook her head again. "If you believed that and you still didn't love me, you would have walked away and never let me finish. But, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." Emma swallowed and prayed to whatever god was listening that this wouldn't backfire. "If you don't still love me, walk away and I won't bother you again."

Regina looked over to the SUV parked alongside the curb. It would be so easy an escape. Just walk away over towards the SUV and she would never have to worry about it again, she could just marry Kyler and have a family with the blonde and Ocean and stew in silence over Emma. Turning back to the blonde, she remained rooted to the spot. She couldn't move, part of her mind was telling her too but the rest of her body was keeping pace with what she really wanted and what she really wanted was to stand there and look into those blue-green eyes and never stop looking.

Emma had her answer. Nothing needed to be said. But it was far from perfect. Far from over. "No matter what it takes, Regina, I will prove I'm worth a second chance." She swore she would, even if she had to go to the ends of the Earth to prove it.

**XXX**

Regina returned back to the mansion clutching the book Emma had finally handed over, just as the clocked chimed nine o'clock. They had spent the rest of the time watching the sunset and the ocean waves in the dark, in silence. She closed the door quietly behind her. Finally taking her first steps inside the mansion she found Kyler sitting on a stool at the counter staring out into space. She looked just as Regina had in the park before Henry had interrupted her train of thought. "Kyler, honey, everything okay?"

Kyler jumped in her seat and turned to face her fiancee. She plastered a smile on her face and quickly nodded. "Yeah, of course I am. Are you?" She asked, "I know I was mad at you before but you sought of abruptly left and you didn't bother to call or text. I thought maybe you were upset at me." She gave a small shrug. "I didn't bother to call or text in case you just wanted to get away for a little while.

Regina nodded. "Sorry, I had something I had to do. Are you sure you're okay?"

Kyler plastered the same smile back onto her face and nodded meekly. "Uh huh."

Regina accepted it for now. "Is Ocean in her room?"

Kyler nodded. "Yeah. She just went to be about thirty minutes ago."

Regina nodded and took a step back. "I'll see you upstairs then, okay?"

"Mhmm."

Regina left it at that and turned to make her way towards the stairs before climbing them and making her way towards the bedroom Ocean was sleeping in. She tapped lightly on the door as she pushed it open, to find a sleepy girl's face illuminated as she peeked out from under the blanket.

"Mom?"

"Hey sweetheart," she said softly as she sat on the edge of the bed and brushed stray strands of hair from her daughters face. "I have someting for you." She flicked on the bed side lamp, the room lighting up in a matter off seconds.

"The book!" Ocean exclaimed happily, taking it from her mother who handed it over with a smile. "But, I thought you didn't want me to read it? Does this mean you're not mad at me any more?"

Regina gave the girl a look of shame before shaking her head. "I wasn't mad at you, I was mad at myself for reasons I'll explain soon, but right now it's nine o'clock and I should let you sle-" And 'omph' escaped Regina's lips when she was tackle hugged by Ocean. With a big smile she hugged the girl back, placing a kiss to sandy blonde hair. "Let's get some sleep."

"Thank you, Mom." Ocean said with a loud yawn as she placed the book on the stand beside her.

Regina flicked off the bed side lamp and retreated towards the door.

"I love you."

Regina paused and turned to face her daughter. "I love you too." She stepped out into the hallway and closed the door over before retreating to her own room where she quickly changed and slipped under the covers alone. Almost an hour later she felt the bed behind her cave inwards as another body slipped in behind her and spooned up against her back.

In a small voice, Kyler asked. "You know I love you right?"

"Mhmm." Regina answered with droopy eyes and a sleepy tone.

"Nothing that happens, could ever break us apart right?" Kyler asked hesitantly.

Regina turned in Kyler arms until she was face to face with the blonde, that reminded her so much of Emma. "Is everything alright?"

Kyler paused, looking into her fiancee's eyes as she remembered back to a few hours before. "Nothing could ever come between us right?"

Regina nodded although hesitant to do so. "Of course." She said in the best covincing voice she could muster.

"Then everything is fine." Kyler said and hugged Regina tighter burying her head into the crook of Regina's neck, hundreds of thoughts running through her head as she listened to the brunette's heart beat strong.

**Okay you're probably thinking, how the hell things can be fixed just like that. Well they aren't, this is what I like to call the 'working out stage' as Regina said - "Things will never go back to the way they were" but this is a chance for them all to fix their problems with one another. As for Regina and Emma well things for them a far from over, Regina will have her chance to vent at Emma. Other than that I won't tell you anymore and hope that you aren't disappointed with this chapter.**

**Also, for anyone that cares, for those of you that like 3raserAuthor's stories, she wants to write a Romance/Humor story with me and I am considering it. If you think our humor combined will be a good thing I'd like to let you all know that we are currently working on a project that will be posted under 3raserAuthor's account instead of my own and should be a up in about a week, maybe less.**

**Also, I have loads of story and one-shot ideas, so for anyone wanting to write a story or a one-shot but can't think off what to write feel free to PM me here or ask me at my Tumblr page, just search 'RealBlackHelix Tumblr' on Google.**


	10. It's Complicated

**Thank you to every last one of you for reviewing, favoriting and following. It means a lot to me. So on with it. Enjoy.**

**XXX**

Regina woke with a yawn and a body firmly wrapped around hers, pressed to her back. She loved that feeling and couldn't help but feel a little guilty. She had undoubtedly agreed to see if Emma could earn her back with a second chance. She squeezed her eyes shut and quietly slipped out from Kyler's arms, she paused when the woman groaned, turned over onto her other side and pulled the blankets up over her head. Regina let a small smile slip onto her lips. It was hard not to care for this woman.

Regina showered quickly and stepped out of her bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her as she made her way down the hall towards the top of the staircase. She was quickly stopped by a ruffled, messy haired, droopy eyed looking twelve nearly thirteen year old looking girl. "Hey sweetheart, want some breakfast?"

Ocean covered her mouth with her hand, yawned and nodded. "Can we have omeletes. Cheese, bacon and tomato?"

Regina nodded. "Sure, want to help?"

Ocean nodded and the groggy mood was quickly wiped away as the girl bounded down the stairs excited to begin cooking with her mother. Regina followed, a rather big smile on her face. When she reached the kitchen counter she picked up her phone and noted the 13 text messages, all from an unknown number. Opening the first one, she read as she instructed Ocean on what ingredients to retrieve from the fridge.

_Hey Regina hopefully you got home safely._

_Oh right probably should point out that this is Emma. You know Emma Swan. Blondie. Sheriff. Good looking. Yeah yeah that blonde._

Regina chuckled at the second message as her daughter retrieved the eggs. She shook her head lightly as she saved the number to her phone and continued reading.

_So I was thinking of something sweet to text you but I could think of absolutely nothing that you wouldn't have a comeback to. I know I suck even Henry is more romantic than me well it either that or he's thinking of becoming a poet._

_Hey me again. I know I'm annoying and you're probably wondering why the hell I'm constantly texting you but honestly I just want to talk to you._

Regina smiled, she could almost hear the innocence behind the sentence. She knew how hard it was for Emma to admit even such a thing as simple as that. It was yet something else they shared together. She quickly scrolled over the messages before hitting the last message that was sent an hour ago.

_If you're not doing anything today. Want to hang out? Nothing much just me you and an ice-cream truck at the park, I promised the school department that I'd volunteer to dress as an ice-cream and drive the truck around for donations to the new library they're trying to put up. So wanna?_

Regina looked up at her daughter and quickly sent a reply back to Emma telling the blonde she'd be there. If Kyler asked her, it was easy to tell the woman that she had run into Emma. What was one more lie? She sighed and placed her phone back on the counter. She really did have to tell Kyler and Ocean the truth about her, about Storybrooke. She couldn't keep it a secret for very long. Secrets almost never stayed buried.

_**FairyTale Land**_

Peyton stepped out onto the balcony with the Evil Queen. She was curious. She had been given the tour long ago in the early morning hours. She had been introduced to the soldiers, soldiers that she over ruled as the Queen's personal guard, but still something haunted her. The very something that haunted her even as she fought the Queen's soldiers, even as a soldier to Snow White and Prince Charming. "Why do you hate her?"

The Queen turned to face Peyton. "Who, dear?"

"Snow White." Peyton answered quickly.

The Queen laughed. "Do you not already know the answer to that?"

"I know what I've been told."

"And what have you been told?" The Queen inquired.

"That you hate Snow White because she is more beautiful than you, but I doubt that."

"Really?"

"Yes, I hate to admit and I'm sure other's do as well but you are far more beautiful than Snow White." Peyton answered honestly. "I've heard stories that you hate her because she's pure, because she's something you can never be. Then there is the story that you hate her because, your just plain evil."

The Queen felt a rush of anger spike her but she reigned it in, no matter how much she wanted to scream. "You have your answer, dear."

"Do I?"

"You tell me?" The Queen retorted.

"I don't believe it." Peyton shook her head. "I don't condone what you did and I certainly don't support you and if I had the choice I'd kill you in a heartbeat but I also know that evil isn't born, it's made. So something had to have occurred that made you who you are to this day."

The Queen turned away from Peyton to face the land before her. The land she instilled fear in just from a look. Just from her presence. "Even if so. It's not important. She's right. I'm wrong. She's good...I'm evil."

Peyton shrugged. "Perspective."

Turning to face the woman, she inquired coldly. "What would you do if everything you ever cared about, ever loved, was torn away from you? Was torn away by the one person you entrusted your secret with? The one person who ended up betraying you?"

"I don't know." Peyton answered honestly. "I thought about Rumpel and I figured that I really have no idea whether I would want him dead. He didn't get the chance to harm my sister so I have no idea. All I know is that whatever happened, it doesn't support what you are doing."

"Doesn't it?"

"If you believe it's Snow White's fault then so be it, but don't drag other's into this. Don't massacre thousands in your attempt at vengence."

"You have no idea what your talking about."

Peyton shook her head and took a step closer to the darkly dressed woman. "Then tell me."

_**Present**_

Kyler made her way down the stairs, dressed in jeans, t-shirt and jacket. "Hey honey," Kyler said bending down to kiss her daughter who was sitting at the table eating an omelete, on the top of her head. Making her way over towards Regina she spoke. "Mmm, that smells good." Kyler inhaled the lovely scent before placing a light kiss on her fiancee's lips.

Regina handed her a plate with an omelete on it before grabbing her own plate and making her way towards the table. Kyler followed behind and took her seat beside Regina, across from Kyler.

"So any plans for the day?" Kyler asked reaching for Regina's hand, intertwining their fingers together as she scooted closer to the brunette.

Regina noted the movements but kept it to herself as she spoke. "Well I was thinking of going for a walk today."

"Sweet." Kyler nodded and quickly pecked Regina on the cheek.

"Can I come?" Ocean asked after she swallowed a mouthful of food and scrunched up her face at her mothers actions.

Regina thought that through for a second. If Emma was going to be dressed like an ice-cream, handing out ice-creams it would be all the more reason to see her especially if she had Ocean with her. "Sure, dear." She didn't like using the girl, but it wasn't classified as using if Ocean wanted to come with her, was it? After all it wasn't like the girl wouldn't get something out of it.

"You coming Ma?"

_Crap! _Regina hadn't really thought that far into it. Thankfully Kyler answered for her.

Kyler paused and shook her head. "I can't I have...something...I have to do first." She turned to Regina placed yet another kiss on her cheek before returning to omelete, scoffing it down in just a few bites.

"Okay!" Ocean declared jumping to her feet and taking her plate to the sink. "I'm going to get dressed!" She yelled as she ran towards and up the stairs.

"Careful!" Regina called after her. "Don't fall!" Turning back to her fiancee who was already at the sink putting her own dish in with Ocean's. Regina followed behind, placing her somewhat eaten omelete on the bench. "So are we going to talk?"

Kyler turned to face Regina. "About?"

"What's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" Kyler gave Regina an innocent look.

"Well for one you've given me three kisses in less than ten minutes and you've been overly romantic with the hand holding and the closeness."

"Are you complaining?"

Regina sighed. "I just want to make sure everything is okay with you?"

"It's fine." Kyler shrugged, "Can't I just be a loving fiancee?"

Regina nodded and with a forced smile she answered. "Of course, dear."

**XXX**

Emma stepped out of ice-cream truck leaving Ruby laughing inside the vehicle. She was dressed from head to toe as an ice-cream, vanilla with sprinkles on top and a cherry poking out the top. Yes, she looked ridiculous, absolutely so and even the kids and teenagers that ran up to her to buy a cheap ice-cream from her took a moment to giggle or chuckle at her expense.

"I don't suppose you're edible?"

Emma turned to the voice to find Regina standing there before her a mischievous smile plastered on her face. "Well I have heard I taste rather delicious." She replied with a smirk.

"Can I have one Mom?"

Both women snapped their attention towards the little girl that had one hand grasped in Regina's as she looked over the different varieties of ice-cream in the box, oblivious to what was going on. "Sure, dear." Regina moved to grab her purse when Emma cut in.

"On the house," Emma said with a smile down at the girl. "Which one would you like?"

The little girl beamed and quickly grabbed the caramel ice-cream from the box. "Thank you." She said politely as she opened it and took her very first taste of the frozen substance.

All three heard a loud laugh from behind them and together they turned to find Henry standing there in a fit of laughter pointing at his mother in the ice-cream suit as he did so.

"Hey, zip it kid." Emma commanded. "Or I'm making you get in this suit."

Henry stopped only after he pulled out his phone and managed to snap a picture of an angry looking ice-cream. "Sorry but priceless."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Are you going to buy an ice-cream or stand there laughing at me all day?"

"I'll take one."

"Two dollars." Emma held out her hand.

"Wha-Hey?" Henry pointed down at Ocean, "But she didn't have to pay."

Emma retorted quickly. "She didn't laugh at me, now cough up." She motioned with the hand she held out awaiting the money.

"Fine." He sighed and handed over two, dollar bills and retrieved an ice-cream.

"You do look kind of silly." Ocean said with a small chuckle.

Emma looked down at the small kid, with a smile of her own. "Thanks kid."

Ocean looked up at her Mom and inquired. "Can I go play on the playground with the other kids?"

"Finish your ice-cream first."

Ocean nodded and quickly finished the remainders of her ice-cream, throwing the wrapper in the bin that was bolted to a pole that was dug into the dirt next to the ice-cream truck. Turning to Henry she asked, "Race you to the swings?"

Henry looked wide eyed as the girl didn't even wait for an answer and took off towards the swings. "Hey that's cheating!" He exclaimed as he jumped to his feet dropping his ice-cream, "Aww man!" He looked down towards the now covered in dirt ice-cream and with a groan he left the ice-cream where it was as he chased after the little girl.

"He's still a kid." Emma said with a shake of her head.

"Some people never grow up."

_**9 Years, 3 Months Ago**_

Emma pulled open the door to find Neal standing there with Henry. She gave a small nod to the man before ruffling the boys hair with a smile. "Hey kid, have fun?"

The boy gave a small nod before stepping into the apartment and without so much as a look back or a goodbye he took off up the stairs to his room, where the reverberating of a door slamming shut could be felt and heard.

Emma turned to face Neal and demanded, "What the hell happened?"

"Nothing really." Neal shrugged, "I just told him to stop talking about Regina all the time."

"Excuse me?" Emma shot him a glare. "You have no right to say that. Regina is his mother."

"No your his mother."

"You've been spending way too much time around my father that he's starting to blind your way of thinking." She shook her head, "Regina is his mother, as much as I am."

"Than where is she? I don't see her."

"She's not here because you and my family ran her out of town!" Emma yelled back.

"Don't forget you did too."

Emma jerked backwards. She couldn't fight that. She had done so. "If you and my father hadn't been so much of an asshole to actually go over there and demand that she leave than maybe I wouldn't have." Emma spoke more to herself, trying to convince herself that she had done the right thing. It wasn't working. She knew it was wrong. She knew that she'd never get another chance to do-over.

Neal shot her a look of disbelief, mixed with something that may have been disgust. "Are you telling me that if we hadn't of told her to leave-"

"Forced her too." Emma corrected.

"Whatever," Neal dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Would you really have reciporcated?"

Emma paused. _Would I? Would I have started something behind my parents back? _Emma didn't need to think too long or hard, she knew the answer. She had known the answer since the day she had driven across the Storybrooke town line and had come face to face with the brunette Mayor. _Yes. Undoubtedly yes. _"I think it's time we both grow up, Neal." She responded with a quiet tone. She had learnt that so much in the many months since Reigna had left.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Neal inquired.

"It means I don't love you anymore, Neal, and I don't think I ever will. Not the way you want me too." Emma shook her head. "I can't. It's time for us to both grow up and accept our mistakes, cause' nothing is going to change them..." she paused, "or bring back what we've lost. That's life and it sucks." With that said Emma shut the door in the mans face and quickly started towards the spiral staircase where she took the steps two at a time. Making her way down the hall she knocked lightly on her sons bedroom door. "Henry?" She heard the sniffles and she entered when no response came. Sitting on the edge of his bed she placed her hand on the softly sobbing boys shoulder, letting him know in silence that she was there if he needed her. In a small voice barely above a whisper she spoke. "I miss her too, kid." To herself she swore, swore up and down that she would find Regina and make this right.

_**Present**_

"Sometimes it's best to grow up," Regina pointed out oblivious to Emma's thoughts.

Emma gave Regina a small smile. "Want to take a walk?"

"With an ice-cream?"

Emma chuckled. "I'll change don't fret."

Regina nodded and gave the blonde a smile of her own. "Sure."

**XXX**

"Keep your drink, just give me the money! It's just you and your hand tonight!"

Kyler gave the door a quizzical look as she heard the upbeat of the Pink song. She let a small smile slip onto her lips before she raised her hand and knocked loudly. She heard shuffling, a small 'shit', a loud bang and crash before the door swung open a presented a singlet clad, boxer wearing Peyton Caverly.

"Oh, hey." Peyton said with a small nervous voice.

"Can we talk?" Kyler inquired.

Peyton nodded and took a step back and motioned for the woman to enter before shutting the door. "I don't really believe there is anything to talk about. It was a mistake, stupid, your with Regina and that's not someone I want to cross."

Kyler gave her a curious look. "What's that mean?"

"Just that...Regina isn't a very...think before you do...type woman. When she knows what she wants...she takes it and anyone who gets in her way...well..." Peyton said with hesitancy between her words.

_**FairyTale Land**_

"None of you value your life enough to tell me where Snow White is hiding?" The silence answered it all. "Kill them." The Queen ordered, "All of them."

Peyton watched as the Archers raised their bows retrieved an arrow from their quiver's and aimed, pulling back on the bow, she watched as they readied to fire, ignoring the wails and pleading. "Wait!" She screamed and silence encompassed the cries of terror. Fear filled the air as soldiers turned to the distraction. The Queen turned to her. She swallowed, she had heard the tales of what happened when the Queen was defied. What she was doing was traitorous in the womans in eyes. "Don't kill them." Peyton pleaded. "Please." She begged. "If you care at all, you'll spare them."

The Queen stared at the woman long and hard. She considered the pleading look in the womans eyes, how easy it would be to spare the men and women their lives. She felt the attention of her soldiers, bows still pulled back ready to fire, all eyes were focused on her now, even the town people. Right at this point, her decision was law, but they refused to give up Snow White's whereabouts, she reminded herself. Steeling her expression she spoke with disdain, "Then it's a good thing I don't." She turned away from Peyton which enough of a signal for the soldiers.

Peyton watched the arrows fly. Squeezing her eyes shut she flinched at the wails. When she opened them, she found herself confronted with the very sight she fought against. The reason she had joined Snow White's soldiers. The reason she despised the Queen, but somewhere underneath it all, the look the Queen had given her had told her that there was a person underneath it all. A good person and yet the evil had prevailed.

_**Present**_

"So we agree it was a mistake? Just an accident?" Kyler asked.

Peyton looked anywhere but at the blonde. She nodded. "Yep, just a mistake."

_**Previous Night**_

"She's a good kid." Peyton said with a nod in the direction Kyler had taken Ocean in before.

Kyler nodded. "Yeah, she really is, smart to, sometimes too smart for her own good."

Peyton chuckled. "I'm guessing Regina's influence."

"Hey!" Kyler exclaimed as she placed a hand over her heart in mock pain. "That hurts. I'm smart too."

Peyton nodded, "Of course but are you seriously going to try and deny it's Regina's doing." She told the woman as she slid the womans beer across the counter, over to her.

Kyler sighed stepping up close to Peyton, taking the beer she acquiesced. "Fine, you win."

Peyton chuckled. "Don't take it to heart. We're all smart in our own way."

Kyler raised an eyebrow. "We are talking about the same Regina here, aren't we?"

Peyton paused and thought about it. "Yeah, okay you're right that woman is good at nearly everything."

It was Kyler's turn to laugh. "I haven't found a thing she isn't good at yet. I took her paintballing one day and she kicked ass, that girl has weird skills when she has a weapon in her hand. It's quite intimidating."

Peyton laughed along with her at the thought of Regina running around in her Mayor attire playing paintball. Oh that had to be a sight to behold. "You like intimidating women?"

Kyler smiled and leant in closer as she answered. "Intimidating. Brave. Courageo-" she faded out as Peyton leant in closer. Not thinking and mind full of alcohol she followed suit until she found herself kissing the brown haired woman, pushing her back against the counter, hands on the womans hips. It took a few miuntes before Kyler came to her sentence and realized that the hands on her own hips weren't Regina's, the hips her own hands hand found purchase on weren't Regina's either and the person she was kissing and that was kissing her back wasn't her fiancee. She jerked back, took a few steps backwards, raised her hand to her mouth and stared wide eyed at the firefighter who looked just as surprised, with maybe some fear etched into her face.

"I have to go." Peyton quickly muttered as she made a hasty exit leaving behind Kyler who still stood there hand raised to her lips and wide eyed.

_**Present**_

Kyler looked the woman over. She couldn't deny it. She was attracted to the woman, that much was obvious, she had been attracted to her from the start, it was hard not to be. Yet, that kiss was more than attraction, probably at first she had thought it was but after a while she had felt the sparks that she had been ignoring. Maybe it was all in her head. Maybe it was the alcohol. God damn it, she had to find out.

"Screw it," she muttered as she stormed her way over to Peyton.

The woman turned in time to find herself pushed against the wall, a body pressed firmly against hers and lips on hers passionately, possessively. She held the surprise for a few seconds. She held the fear of what Regina would do to her if she ever found out, but that all faded out of reality when she felt Kyler's tongue run over her bottom lip asking for permission, seeking admittance. She complied, throwing caution to the wind.

**XXX**

"So how's Kyler?" Emma asked handing over a takeout coffee cup, full of the black-brown liquid.

Regina took the offered cup. "I think it's best we don't talk about her."

Emma nodded as they walked along the path that led to a bench that overlooked the park playground. "Right." Emma nodded, "So, what do you do now?"

Regina sat down on the bench first before Emma took the spot next to her, thighs touching, sitting close enough that air couldn't pass between them. Regina gave a small smile to Emma as she placed the coffee cup down beside her. "I worked in politics in DC for a while, currently I'm switching over to LA where I'll be up for Mayor in a few years." She said with a shrug.

"Never could get out of the business huh?" Emma responded with a small chuckle.

"Something's are hard to escape from."

_**FairyTale Land**_

"You wanted to see me?" Peyton spoke as she stepped into the room.

"I should have your head on a platter now." The Queen pointed out as she turned to face the woman. "And yet here we stand."

"Mind me asking why?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it is stupidity on my part. Perhaps it is your courage even when you know the consequences. First stealing from me, then trying to attack me, trying to to go back on our deal and now this. My, my maybe I do have more patience then people give me credit for." The Queen added the last part with a sarcastic undertone.

Peyton put her own two bits forth. "Or perhaps your not as evil as you yourself believes."

The Queen's face fell. Was it possible that she could be good if she tried? No! Snow White deserved everything that she got? But did the other's? Did all those innocents deserve what they got? Did they deserve death for merely protecting their beliefs? Years ago when she was younger before Daniel had been taken from her, she would have believed otherwise. Now? She looked up towards Peyton, seeing herself in the woman before her. So full of life, so brave, so innocent, so...naïve.

_**Present**_

Emma dropped her hand down onto her thigh closest to Regina. With a small smile she pressed forth. "I'd vote for you if I could. You're the best damn Mayor I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Regina raised an eyebrow in a perfect arch as she too dropped her own hand down beside Emma's, so that they were resting against the side of one another's. "And how many Mayor's have you had the pleasure of meeting exactly?"

Emma gave some thought to that. "Exactly?" She asked with a grin and when the brunette nodded she answered. "One."

Regina chuckled as she linked her pinkie finger with Emma's as the two of them gave a small smile to one another before turning back to find Henry pushing a laughing Ocean on the swing. She was always one for wasting second chances? Could she waste this one as well?

**XXX**

Kyler peeled her eyes open to the darkness of a bedroom she had only briefly taken in hours ago. Looking over the form she was cuddle against from behind, at the clock's red LED numbers, she read; 1:04 a.m. "Fuck!" She swore as she shot up and out of the bed, waking a previously soundly sleeping firewoman.

"What's the time?" She asked naturally before looking at the clock beside her. After taking in the time she rubbed her eyes as Kyler slipped on her pants and quickly started gathering the rest of her clothes, throwing on the singlet before yanking up her socks, her shirt, her belt and her shoes.

"I can't believe I did this." Kyler said with a shake of her head. "Regina is not to know about this." Kyler muttered to herself. "Ever." She declared this time to herself and to Peyton.

"Are you kidding?" Peyton retorted pulling the covers up to cover herself. It was ridiculous even she knew it. "If Regina finds out about this any other way, all hell is going to reign loose. And I mean reign loose in every sense of the word. You have no idea what she is capable off."

"And you do?" Kyler turned to face the brown haired woman who clutched the sheet tighter.

Peyton gave thougth to that. Remembering back on Storybrooke and everything that had happened. It was enough to put evidence to her point without having to resort to FairyTale Land. "You have no idea."  
_**  
**_Kyler shook her head. "This stays between you and me. Okay?"

Peyton didn't even have a chance to answer as she watched Kyler leave quickly, hearing the door slam shut behind her, told Peyton she was deep in shit and with no ladder she didn't think there was anyway out. All she could do was hope that Regina was merciful enough to kill her quickly and painlessly. She sighed at the ridiculous thought, throwing herself backwards onto the pillow, arm thrown over her head. "Fuck!"

**XXX**

Kyler climbed the stairs of the mansion, to the top floor, tip-toeing past her daughters bedroom and towards the one she shared with Regina. As she entered she noted the brunette curled up clutching her phone to her ear as she slept peacefully. With a sad smile, Kyler shook her head, removed her shoes and slid under the cover pulling the phone away and placing it on Regina's side dresser without checking the caller ID and what had made the brunette smile in her sleep. She placed a small kiss to the woman's temple, "I love you."

Regina stirred. "Mmm, love you too." She opened her eyes a tiny bit and gave a small smile. It fell almost immediately. She couldn't do this, not anymore, this woman had shared everything with her; her heart, her life, her daughter. She deserved the right to know the truth, all of the truth. "I have to tell you something."

Kyler shook her head at the seriousness. "Whatever it is, it can wait until morning." She gave her fiancee a small smile. "I just want to lay with you." She wrapped her arms around the brunette.

Regina shook her own head this time and backed out of the embrace. "This is important."

Kyler gave the woman a fearful yet curious look. "What is it?"

"I'm not who you think I am."

**Dun Dun Da. Yes I know I left it there because I have a massive migraine and fire arms training in the morning, yeah good combination hey? So hopefully you enjoyed. Also, I'm not sure yet but I may have chapter that will be rated 'M' late but don't worry if I do I will warn everybody at the start if it is the chapter and I will make sure to have a warning before the scene, so you can skip right over it without having to miss any of the plot within the chapter, but it's all thoughts for now. Thanks for reading this.**_**  
**_


	11. All Things Must Come To An End

"Say something, will you?" Regina asked from where she stood beside the floor mirror in her bedroom, to the woman sitting on the end of the bed staring into nothingness. "Kyler?"

Kyler snapped her head around to look at the woman she was engaged to. "This is insane. You know how crazy this sounds, right?" She held out her hand, shook them and her head and quickly cut in before Regina could speak. "The Evil Queen? Seriously? You expect me to believe that this town is a town of Fairy Tale characters?"

"I know it's ha-"

"Hard to believe?" Kyler finished for her. "No this is absolutely insane Regina. Like nuts insane, crazy insane, god what did you eat today? Maybe it's the water in this town."

Regina took a step forward but kept her distance from the woman. Out of the all the reactions she had expected to come from the blonde, disbelief wasn't one of them, anger, sadness, fury, rage, even understanding, but not disbelief. Though now that she thought about it, it wasn't that farfetched.

Kyler held up her hands once again and breathed out a sigh before she spoke. "Okay say it is true. Then what? From what you're telling me, you murdered a lot of people and I mean a lot. How can I condone something like that? How am I supposed to marry a murderer? For god's sake! You've been spending time with Ocean, a little girl."

"I would never harm Ocean!" Regina quickly shot back with a glare on her face.

"From what you've told me, I don't if you would. You have to see this from my point of view, this- what you have just told me sounds crazy. You're telling me that Fairy tales are real."

"Ky-"

"No!" She shook her head and quickly jumped to her feet. "Say it's true. If we had never have come to Storybrooke, would you have told me?"

Regina looked into the green-blue eyes she had found comfort in for so many years.

_**9 Years Ago**_

"Come on!" Kyler exclaimed from her spot beside Regina. She had the other woman's arm wrapped up in her own; their hands intertwined by their sides as the snow lightly fell around them signaling the beginning of winter. "You can't honestly tell me that you didn't enjoy yourself even a little. Just a smidgen." Kyler created a small space between her forefinger and thumb for emphasis.

With a roll of her eyes, Regina finally conceded. "Fine. It was-different and not entirely unpleasant."

Kyler beamed a smile at her girlfriend. "I know hey. I do tend to create the perfect dates."

Regina rolled her eyes yet again but gave a small chuckle. "Whatever you say, dear."

Kyler patted her chest with her free hand. "I reign supreme in the date world. Men and women alike should bow down to me and declared me the God of the dating world."

"That's right, dear, dreams are good to have." Regina told the woman beside her with a sarcastic tone and a wide innocent smile.

"Ouch!" Kyler placed a hand over her heart with a large over-dramatic intake of air. She held it until she could no longer. "But alas you do have a point." She agreed with a tiny pout on her lips as she pulled to a stop out front of Regina's apartment. "And here you are your Majesty." Kyler gave a slight bow missing the cringe that came from the woman in front of her. Standing up straight she gave a goofy but warm smile. "Have a nice night Regina." She leant in a gave a small peck to flushed skin of Regina's cheek.

Regina felt the woman begin to pull away and felt the snap of something inside of her. She knew deep down she had been avoiding all possible intimacies with Kyler, the blonde had never questioned her on it and from the woman's look she never would. She was patient, loving, kind and caring. Everything she had always wanted. Everything she had wanted with Emma. Although, she couldn't have it with the woman she wanted it didn't mean she couldn't have it with this woman. She truly cared about her, love however? That was a different thing entirely.

Grasping Kyler's arm Regina pulled the woman back in, clutching at the woman's jacket lapels she pulled her in for a kiss. Rough but not demanding. Connected but searching. Loving but not in love.

Kyler was the first to pull away after a few minutes and with a smile on her face. "Regina?"

"I'm ready."

Kyler's brow furrowed for a second before it finally hit her, what Regina was saying. With a crease but a hardly hidden grin she asked just to make sure. "Positive?"

Regina sought the green-blue eyes of the blonde in front of her. Love wasn't something that happened within a day. Or even five months. Love took time. And perhaps - just perhaps, she may just get it within due time.

** XXX**

Peyton nearly launched herself and her full coffee mug into space when her apartment door was shoved open with a rather loud resounding bang against the wall behind it. Placing a hand over her heart she gazed up at the occupant standing in her doorway with a rather large scowl on her face. _What the hell did you do now Peyton? _

"Tell me it isn't true!"

Peyton's brow furrowed in confusion. "What isn't true?"

"This Fairy tale nonsense. That Regina isn't the Evil Queen. That she didn't murder people. That you-you-that you...didn't support her." Kyler's voice wavered slightly.

Peyton froze. Stiff as a column standing as erect and as tense as one would need to hold up a building. "Who told you this?"

"Regina!" Kyler shook her head and began a small pace that was no more than three steps each way. "I can't believe this. I refuse to believe this. You understand how insane it is?"

Peyton placed her mug back on the counter before turning back to Kyler. "Have you spoken to Regina about this?"

"This is insane. My fiancée, soon to be wife is the Evil friggin' Queen. I mean if what she told me is true, than she cursed an entire land to our worl-my world." She huffed and turned to face Peyton, "God damn it! You supported her! How could you support someone like her?"

_**FairyTale Land**_

Peyton walked casually along the castle court yard taking in the different plants, flowers and trees. Each hand a different look to it but each complimented one another in its arrangement.

"It took me years, to get my garden to look like this."

Peyton pivoted quickly on the heel of her foot to face the interruption. She released a sigh of relief when she found the Queen standing before her, a hand held out to the branch of one of the Cherry Blossom trees. The tender strokes of the woman's hands upon the petal made Peyton wonder how such a soft and tender hands could cause so much chaos. "It's rather beautiful. Was it like this before you killed the King?"

"He was one for appearance but he never liked nature. Yet, if his daughter spoke of it, he would force enjoyment upon himself for her sake." There was no disdain in the Queen's voice only sadness as she released the petal and silently strode towards a secluded spot in the garden. Hands behind her back, Peyton followed closely behind.

"Yes well the Queen is particularly fond of nature." Peyton held back a roll of her eyes, "Sometimes annoyingly so."

"It's hard to imagine we have something in common."

Peyton looked towards the woman she had been sworn to protect or otherwise it was her sister's demise and the blood would be on no one's hands butt her own. "Perhaps the only thing."

The Queen smirked. "Perhaps? Are we starting to think differently about the Evil Queen, dear?"

Peyton casually shook her head. "Not at all. I do believe you are Evil but I believe there is a thin line between good and evil, and everyone starts of on neutral territory when they're born. From there, life and decisions shape you to who you become."

"Perhaps it's fate. Destiny."

"I believe we control our own lives. Our own destiny and fate is ours for the choosing."

The smirk was back, with a tinge of sadness in it. "You can run from fate, but you can't escape destiny."

Peyton stepped up beside the Queen. "It's never too late for one to change. I once asked what made you this way, you never answered."

"What's it to you?" The Queen asked. "Will it change anything?"

"Might make me more understanding, more sympathetic."

"I don't need your sympathy."

"Nobody is purely evil just like no one is purely good. Snow White is a prime example. In my time of service with her, I have seen her do some...questionable things."

The Queen quirked an eyebrow. "If it was so 'questionable' then why are you defending her? Serving her?"

Peyton shrugged. "The lesser of two Evil's I suppose."

This made the Queen laugh out loud. "That's the biggest understatement I have ever had the pleasure of hearing."

Peyton lips twitched as she smiled lightly. "So?" She pressed.

"So what, dear?"

"What happened to make you hate Snow White so much?"

The Queen stopped, turning to face her personal guard. "I saved her did you know?" She started as she turned back to her tree and quietly felt around the leaves and petals tenderly.

"How?" She couldn't see the Queen's face. It was somewhat impersonal but if that's what it took to get the Queen to explain, well then that's what it took.

"I pulled her onto my horse when I was younger. Her horse had run away from her and I rescued her." The Queen paused letting the memory fall back into the forefront of her mind. "It was probably-no, it was the biggest mistake of my life. If I hadn't have rescued her, the King would never have asked for my hand."

"But you said yes? To a man that was like forty or fifty years older than you."

The Queen let out a laugh but no humor was in it. "Is that what Snow White told you?"

Peyton chose to remain silent at that.

With a shake of her head, she turned to face the black dressed guard. "My mother accepted on my behalf. I was forced into a marriage with, as you put it a man that was more than forty years older than me."

Peyton frowned. "How exactly is that Snow White's fault?"

"I had a plan to run away with a man I truly loved." Head slightly bowed she pretended to look at one of the growing flowers, "She caught us and I-I asked her not to tell anyone and she promised me she wouldn't. I especially didn't want my mother to know, she wasn't and still isn't the kindest of women. She was horribly cruel, used magic on me when I did things she didn't approve of, which was most of the time."

"Snow told didn't she? Can't say I'm surprised, I've found that she isn't one for keeping secrets." Peyton tried to find the other woman's face but her gaze was avoided. "What happened to the man you planned to run away with?"

"What makes you think anything happened?"

"So, you just decided to go on a murderous rampage because Snow told a secret of yours?" Peyton gave her a look of disbelief, "I don't believe it for a moment."

The Queen looked away, once again using it as a way to keep her distance. "Things happen. You may not understand it but life...has a way of destroying you. Breaking you down until there is nothing but hatred. Revenge. Vengeance. I know it all too well."

_**Present**_

"Just because they do bad things doesn't make them a bad person. Well...okay it does but sometimes life...has a way of destroying someone." Peyton said remembering the words that were engrained into her mind from the moment the woman had spoken them.

"She killed people!" Kyler shook her head violently, "I've fought my whole life to bring people like her to justice and now I find out that my fiancée is one of them."

"Did you talk to her?"

"Talk to her?!" Kyler shook her head violently again and continued her pacing, "How do you explain something like that? You can't just sweep things like that under the rug. This isn't something you can just talk about and hope that everything goes back to normal." Snapping around Kyler turned to Peyton when something in particular hit her. "Who exactly is the Sheriff?"

"Our Sheriff?"

"No the Sheriff, two towns down. Of course you're Sheriff!"

"Well..." Peyton paused not really knowing how to go about it, "She's sought of the White Knight, Savior thing. Nothing big."

Kyler blinked. "Nothing big? NOTHING BIG?!"

"You need to cal-" Peyton started but was interrupted when three sets of footsteps stumbled into her apartment. _Seriously. What a time to live above such Sheriff, Savior, White Knight, Bounty Hunter, princess...shit! What the hell is this woman's occupation? _Peyton briefly scratched her head in thought.

"Everything okay here?" Charming asked casually with a look between Kyler and Peyton.

"You see?!" Kyler announced as she thumbed towards the three occupants standing confused in Peyton's doorway. "Now imagine a normal person. A normal person who has just been told that this man and his wife are Snow bloody White and Prince Charming...Prince Charming. Prince fuckin' Charm-God I think I need to sit down."

"You told her?" Emma asked incredulously.

"Not me!" Peyton declared with a shake of her head and hands as Kyler moved to sit on the sofa. "Regina. Regina thought it was a good id-"

"You mean the Evil Que-"

"Hey!" Emma yelled cutting the blonde off, "Why don't you shut your mouth about things you have no knowledge off."

"She's righ-"

"And you!" Emma rounded on her mother and father, "Are just as bad as she is! You never really gave her a chance. You weren't there through the months after everything had begun to settle down, you didn't stop to see the change in her."

"Oh look at that!" Kyler declared as she stood up, "The White Knight has a soft spot for the Evil Que-" Kyler once again didn't get to finish her sentence when Emma lunged towards the woman taking her to the floor.

Peyton looked towards her coffee and back to the rumble on the ground that was trying to be broken up by Charming and his wife. _God! I need something stronger. _

"Enough!"

Emma and Kyler both found themselves wrenched apart from one another. As soon as it happened they scrambled towards one another, but the invisible bonds held fast and only allowed their arms to flail at one another. To Peyton it was sought of a comedic sight. "Trust me guys, you can't fight it." She told the two women as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Regina let me go!" Kyler yelled to the brunette as she turned back towards Emma, "I'm gonna kick your ass when I'm out of here."

"Oh yeah!" Emma declared as she tried fighting against the bonds. "I'm go-"

"Enough!" Once again the voice cut through the tirade.

"Regina let my daughter go!" It was Charming's turn to yell.

"Stop it! All of you!" Snow yelled shaking her head as she turned to everyone, "We have to see this from Kyler's point of view. This is a lot to take in." Turning to Regina she politely and softly told the woman, "Let them go Regina."

With a sigh Regina did what she was told and released the bonds. Emma and Kyler scrambled to their feet but remained at the distance they were. Nobody moved and the only sound that seemed to fill the apartment was the sound of heavy breathing.

Peyton sipped her coffee a few more times before realizing nobody was planning on speaking. She opened her mouth and spoke. "People change." It was only two words but it sent the apartment into a spiral. Charming yelling that Regina would and could never change. Emma telling him that she has and did before they had kicked her out. Snow telling her husband to let go of the past. Regina yelling back that he knows nothing about her. Kyler...well she noticed Kyler just stood there breathing deeply and watching the scenario in front of her. It took all but a few seconds for Peyton to notice the look fall across Kyler's face. One of confusion, anger, disgust, pain - love. She cringed at that last emotion, especially when all of them including that one were directed at Regina. She watched as without a word Kyler moved around the screaming group and quickly left the apartment. As if nobody noticed they continued screaming at one another.

Peyton placed her coffee mug onto the counter before exiting her apartment and following the blonde woman down the flight of stairs. When she reached the bottom, Kyler was already exiting the building. Shoving open the door herself she called to the woman, "Wait!"

Kyler pulled to a stop before turning to face Peyton. "What?"

"This has got to be hard on yo-"

"Hard? That's the understatement of the century. Of the millennium."

"Then talk about it. Running from this isn't going to make it better."

"Kyler?"

Both Peyton and Kyler snapped around to the soft voice to find Regina standing in the doorway and the Charming's and Emma standing behind her.

"I can't do this Regina." Kyler bowed her head, "I didn't sign up for craziness. I signed up to marry Regina Mills, not the Evil Queen."

Regina took a step forward but flinched when Kyler took a step backwards. "I'm not the Evil Queen anymore."

"Did you cast a curse that sent people to this land? Did you kill people? Did you pull people's hearts out of their chest? Did you crush them? Control them?" Kyler asked with such sincerity in questioning it that one would never know that she didn't know the answer. Perhaps she didn't. Perhaps she did. Perhaps it really was just for confirmation.

"Yes."

Kyler looked up to the brunette and shook her head both at the woman and to stop the tears that were threatening to fall from falling. "I can't do this Regina."

Regina watched her go from the doorway with. Peyton took a moment to decide looking between the other three figures before taking off after Kyler who tore through the park across the street, like a bat out of hell.

**XXX**

"Hey mom!" Ocean called from the living room where she and Henry sat playing video games.

Regina nodded to Ocean, gave a small smile and quietly made her way to the kitchen. Emma motioned for Henry to keep the little girl busy a little more which he understood clearly and started luring the girl back into the world of video games. Emma waited a few moments before following Regina into the kitchen, to find the woman already making dinner at twelve in the afternoon, hurriedly she noticed. Emma knew it was a sign of distress, a sign of the woman coming back down to what she believed was her reality.

They didn't talk. Not yet. Not now with Henry and Ocean in the room. They remained silent the rest of the day but Emma remained with Regina the whole time, a silent way of telling the brunette that she was there for her. Dinner finally made the table late, surprisingly, and half an hour after the meal Kyler had called Regina and requested coldly that she be allowed to speak to her daughter. Regina didn't argue just handed the phone over without so much as acknowledgement. Ocean chatted animatedly to her blonde mother about her day but Emma could see that the little girl wasn't as oblivious as both her mother's probably thought she was. An hour later and Regina was tucking the girl in much like she did for Henry as told to her by their son.

"Is Ma mad at you?" Ocean asked innocently. "Is it about the book? I heard you and Ma arguing, you really are the Evil Queen."

Regina tucked the sheets in before sitting on the side of the bed. "Yes."

"You were really bad. Did really mean things to people."

"I know."

Ocean offered a small smile and sat up enveloping her Mom in a sideway hug, destroying tidy tuck in that Regina had just done. "You were before but now you're nice. We all do bad things. Mommy still loves you, I love you."

Regina let out a small whimper as she returned the hug.

From the doorway, Henry looked to his blonde mother. "This is all my fault isn't it?"

Emma furrowed her brow in confusion.

"If I had have loved Mom enough she would never have left. She would have put up a fight just to stay with me." He looked down at the socks he was wearing.

Emma shook her head and placed a hand on his shoulder. "No I let her go. I should have stood up to my parents then but I was scared and it also comes down to Kyler. I may be biased but Kyler has a lot to answer for here as well."

"There's a spare bedroom." Regina told Henry without even a glance in his direction.

"Thanks." He called after her lightly as he gave a small hug to Emma and a small wave of goodnight to Ocean who waved back lightly, said goodnight to Emma and Henry, yawned and rolled over to let sleep encompass her.

Emma moved around the house switching lights off one by one. Something she was used to. She reached the kitchen and flipped the light switch enveloping the room in the nighttime darkness with only the moon to illuminate the room. So, so used to it.

_**8 Years, 8 Months Ago**_

Emma switched of the final light in the kitchen off and let the moon shine her path towards the foyer. She moved to scale the staircase to the second floor before the doorbell rang and knock sounded loudly against the wood. With a crease in her brow and utter confusion on her face she decidedly pulled open the door. "What the hell are you doing here?" She asked as she placed both hands on her hips and blocked the figure from getting inside.

"Really?" He shook his head and pushed past her anyway, "You still can't let her go."

"Neal! Get the hell out."

"Sleeping in her bed are you?" Neal inquired with alcohol on his breath. "Is that little brat of a kid here to?"

"What part of get the hell out of here don't you understand and leave Henry out of this."

"I didn't hear you deny that he wasn't a brat." Neal huffed, "No wonder Regina didn't put up much of a fight. Can't say she isn't a coward."

"Shut the hell up Neal!"

"Or what? If you want someone to blame, why don't you blame yourself. You're a curse in itself, look at you. In the house of the one you love because you let her go. You're all alone. Yet again. That's your life Emma, nothing will ever change that. You will always be alone." Neal shrugged, "Just like that bitch! And Henry too."

"Neal." It was cold and hard, as motioned to the outside of the house, "I won't tell you again. Get the hell out!" She waited for him to move and eventually he did, stepping out into the cold Winter of Storybrooke. "I don't want you near Henry, you come near him again and I won't hesitate to put a bullet in a vital organ of yours." She shut the door in his face, leaned back against the wood and slid down it until she was sitting on the foyer floor. The house was cold, empty and silent. Much like her life had been since Regina had left. With a small smile she looked around the room, but inside the building it had a small touch of what Regina was, it had an aurora about it. An imprint left by Regina that allowed her to feel the brunette who was god knows where. She sniffled but allowed a few of the tears to fall from her eyes.

_**Present**_

Emma climbed the stairs hand running up against the rail. It had been the last time she had spoken to Neal before he took off, the only reason she knew about him marrying a Vegas Hooker was because she had received a letter from him with a photo of his new wife after their wedding. She knew it was his way of telling her, he was better off without her and honestly, she had to admit she was happy for him, happy that he had found someone worthwhile. Even if he was an asshole.

Emma stepped inside the brunette's bedroom and took in the room. It was very much like it was the last night she had slept in Regina's room. "Regina?" She quietly and softly inquired from the woman. When she didn't answer Emma climbed in behind the brunette woman whose back was to her. She knew she wasn't asleep, she could feel she wasn't asleep and the lamp that on, on the bedside table told her that she definitely wasn't asleep. If there was one thing Emma knew about Regina, was that the woman couldn't sleep with anything but moonlight. It was almost impossible for her.

Pulling the blankets up and over the two of them, Emma leant over Regina flicked the lamp off and withdrew. She wasn't going to touch Regina if the woman didn't want it and so far she hadn't given any sign that she wanted it. A few seconds past before Regina turned over to face Emma, they just lay there for a few minutes before Regina moved forward to kiss Emma. It was rough. Harsh. Full of sadness, anger, Emma noted. She felt the brunette's hand run up the length of her body, slowly dragging the shirt with it. Deep down a small part of her snapped her back to reality and away from her wanton desire for the former Evil Queen. She knew it was wrong, grasping the scouring hands wrist she pulled away from Regina.

"Don't." It was soft and simple.

Regina retracted her hand immediately and began moving away from the blonde Sheriff only to be caught, stopped and pulled back into an embrace. She fought against it. Against the comfort. Against the warm embrace; pushing, shoving, even to the point she had began hitting harshly against the other woman's chest that the Sheriff was grimacing at every fist that landed. Still she didn't let go. Just held stronger with each passing attempt at putting distance between them.

"Stop it Regina."

Regina continued ignoring the voice that tried to penetrate her thoughts.

"Regina." Emma held fast when the woman made an attempt at trying to hit the blonde in the still bruised face from her previous fight with Kyler. Yet, Emma was quicker and thanked her lightening like reflexes as she snapped back the hand. "Stop, please."

And she did. Regina stopped her attempts and quietly lied there with Emma's hands still gripping her wrists, tense but not harsh. She was preparing herself for more attempts or a sneak attack from the brunette.

A few minutes passed before Regina spoke, lowly, emotionlessly, empty. "I give up. No matter what I do, I'll never find my happy ending. Never escape my past." She turned just enough to look up into the blonde who was staring down at her, "It hurts so much Emma. I can't take the pain anymore. I..I..I just want it to end."

"I won't let you." Emma finally slipped her fingers from the grasp around the woman's wrist, to intertwine with the soft shaking hands. "Even if you feel like everything is gone and that you're falling. I'll be there to catch you because I can't lose you."

"How am I supposed to believe you?"

Emma winced. "I can never apologize for what I did and for ten years I have beaten myself up over it. I love you Regina. I loved you back then. I love you now. I will...always love you. No matter where you are or what you are doing."

"Ten years...ten years and you didn't even bother looking for me."

Emma bowed her head slightly. "I tried. I swear I tried but when a woman like you wants their tracks covered, you do it. I may be exceptionally skilled at finding people but you Regina, you vanished and after two years of looking I finally gave into the inevitable. I had made a mistake and I would never get a chance to fix it. Yet," she offered a small smile. "Here we are, maybe this is my second chance."

"It won't just go away like it never happened at all."

"I know. But as I said before, I'm willing to do whatever is necessary to prove I am worth a second chance. I hurt you Regina but I'm not going anywhere."

Regina crumbled, defenses down she tucked herself under Emma's chin and pressed closer to the warm body as she stared down at their linked fingers.

"I promise. I'm not going anywhere. Nobody is getting rid of me this time."

Regina let the tear in the corner of her eye fall freely. "Don't make a promise, if you know can't keep it."

**So hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. As I told you all it was going to be a rollercoaster so I'm sure some of you are very angry at Kyler but as I also said you would love and hate every character at some point. Do not worry, everything will work out eventually. Hope you enjoyed and sorry for the long update await, been real busy.**


	12. It's All The Same

**Okay long time coming I know. But having a twelve to thirteen hour working day for the first couple of weeks it was exhausting. Then my muse wouldn't work and I just had no inspiration or desire to write and then when I managed to seriously break my arm which meant I couldn't type. Also, to the 'Guest' reviewer who corrected me on the title; I already knew that it was supposed to be 'You're' instead of 'Your' it was a purposeful mistake. It was there to show that everyone makes mistakes just like Emma, Kyler, Peyton, Henry and even Regina. Some are small such as my spelling mistakes and some are big but mistakes are mistakes, it's all the same. This whole story is about learning from your mistakes and correcting them. So don't worry about the title it's supposed to go hand in hand with the story. Anyway I'm back and fully determined. Hopefully...**

**Thanks for the reviews, favourites, followers and long awaited readers.**

**XXX**

**_FairyTale Land_**

Peyton deflected the blow with a perfectly timed _clang _of her sword as she countered just as easily, sliding her blade into the soldier with a sickening sound as it pierced and passed through flesh. She withdrew the sword, letting the lifeless body tip and fall landing with a _thud _and a _crack_ as the head collided with the solid earth beneath their feet.

"We can't hold them of forever!" Beirand yelled as he too withdrew a sword from a dead soldier.

The city surrounding them was alight with fire having been caught in the crossfire of Snow White's and the Evil Queen's armies. A blood feud that bridged the gap that separated men from monsters and raged war on peace.

"The Queen has called for a retreat! Fall back!" A messenger on a horse yelled as he galloped past them on the mare to inform more of the Queen's soldiers.

The men followed the orders with no protest. This was a battle they could not win, even with the power of King Leopold's men they were still being over-run, not even magic could turn the tide. They were outnumbered. They were still being slaughtered and yet - yet they were no better than the men and women on the other side.

Peyton retreated with the soldiers before breaking away from them and making her way to where she had last seen the Queen battling Snow's guards with magic as they fought for _her _head, "Your majesty?"

The Queen turned to face her personal guard before moving towards her horse. "Snow White has separated herself from the group and is fleeing."

Peyton's brow furrowed. "With respect, we should retreat with our soldiers whilst we have the chance. Live to fight another day and all that."

The Queen pulled on the reigns of the horse, turning to face Peyton. "You told me one time that it should only be Snow White's head that I should seek. If you still abide by that and wish to see no more bloodshed then we must not let Snow escape."

Peyton let a few dozen thoughts slip through her head before turning to the closest guard. "Bring me a horse!"

The dark dressed soldier quickly followed through with another order to another soldier who delivered a large brown horse, as the Queen kicked at her horse and begun to gallop away. Peyton wrapped her hands around the horn and heaved herself up and into the saddle before following after the Queen with a quick and determined pace of her own. This was going to end now. No more unnecessary bloodshed.

_**Present**_

Emma's eyes fluttered open as sunlight streamed in through the cracks of the curtain that hung lazily over the window. With a groan she stretched out her muscles with slight cracks as air bubbles popped under the sudden pressure. Emma smiled lightly; eyes still closed as she turned over and slipped her arm to the other side of the bed. "Huh?" Emma's still sleep clouded mind registered the empty bed side immediately. "Regina?" The blonde groaned into the empty bedroom.

With a deep breath and a groan Emma flipped over, swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood before proceeding down the empty hallway, down the mansions staircase and through the foyer to the kitchen where she found a Regina Mills with her back planted firmly against the kitchen bench, sitting on the floor with her legs hugged to her chest as she wept silently into them.

"Regina," Emma spoke softly and calmly as if she were talking a man down from a ledge as she approached with caution. "Regina?"

"I can't do it no more."

Emma moved to the empty spot beside Regina before planting her back against the counter and sliding down next to the distraught woman. "I kno-"

"Everything, Emma." Regina interrupted, "You have no idea what it's like to live in a life where everything you care about gets taken away from you, constantly. Where your whole life is nothing but a failure in everyone's eyes."

"You're not a failure, Regina and if you were, it's not a reason to give up. It's actually a better reason to push forward. To prove people wrong, but you aren't Regin-" Emma countered softly.

"I used to believe that." Regina whispered her tone devoid of any emotion as she stared across the room, blankly.

"Used to?"

Regina tilted her head slightly before angling it to face Emma, her eyes conveying the unspoken words. "A long time ago." She gave a small pause, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall once again against her will. "Ten years ago I lost faith in any chance at a happ-"

"Regi-"

Regina shook her head and added forcefully. "No! Miss Swan it's my turn." She waited for the blonde to try and interrupt a second time and when no protest came from the Sheriff she had to admit she was disappointed. She had expected a fight from Emma who would try and prove that she was worth a second chance as she had so far numerously done - but nothing came. Perhaps she was finally giving up on her like the many before her did. "Forty years ago I was cursed to live in a town I cursed. For twenty eight years I thought I had won. I reveled in my victory every single day. Just being able to see the suffering of everyone else was enough for me - or so I thought. Then I was handed over a little boy and told that the mother didn't want him. I raised that boy as if he were my own; he was the greatest thing in my world. He loved me for ten _solid _years and perhaps - perhaps he still did afterwards but...it wasn't the same. After he found you all I could think was that I was losing...again. What I cared about so much was being taken from me all over again and that I could never win." Regina looked away from Emma, "He was my son and you took him. Ten years I looked after him before you waltzed back into his life and took him away from me. Ten years ago he fell in love with his adoring, endearing birth mother." Turning back to face her Regina face was lined with frown indents, "Ten years I was gone. For ten years I never saw you and when I come back, you waltz back into my life very much like you did him and just like him, no matter what you did, I can never not love you. You destroyed me, every part of me. When you stood on my front door step and told me ' that it's best I leave', I knew then and there that happy endings for me - were just fairytales."

"As I've said I can't apologize for that but I will try for as long as you let me and even after."

Regina shook her head. "No."

"Regina, please."

"Happy endings aren't for everyone." Regina pushed herself to her feet. "And I think it's my turn to control my life. To earn whatever piece of happiness I can and for that to happen - I need you to not argue with me and stand up and walk out of here."

"I won't do that Regina."

"If you love me as much as you say you do. You'll do this for me." Regina added with a sad smile.

_**FairyTale Land**_

Peyton pulled back on the reins bringing her horse to a complete stop as The Queen slid from her own to land on the compacted dirt below. As she slid down from her horse she caught the form of Snow White picking herself up and out of the dirt a few meters from them as confident as one could be in the presence of the Evil Queen. Perhaps more then she should be.

"Leaving the battle so soon?" The Queen's tone mocked.

Snow brushed the dirt from her clothes and dusted her hands of trying to appear as casual as possible in front of the woman who despised her very presence. Possibly to casual. Peyton took a step forward in front of her horse. She didn't like this, for a woman who was supposed to in this moment be in a bind and near death row whilst facing the Queen; she sure held a strong aura of casualty. No, this didn't feel right.

"The battles over Regina, our army is too great. You can't win."

The Queen gave her a crooked cocky smile to the woman she swore she would one day end. "That all depends of your definition of victory."

Peyton instinctually took a step forward as Snow took her very own step towards Regina. She was halted by the Queen's hand that was held out towards her preventing her from stepping any closer.

"I offer you parlay. To negotiate the terms of your surrender."

_Way to confident for a dead woman_ Peyton thought, her hand twitching just above the hilt of her sword. If this was an ambush she wasn't going out without one hell of a fight.

The Queen drew back. Possibly in shock of what the woman was saying or possibly in disbelief. A woman's whose head was practically sitting on the pike in this instance was offering a choice for her murderer to _surrender_.

"My surrender?" With a tilt of her head she continued, "Fair enough." She played along, "My terms are quite simple... your death."

Peyton grimaced at the small pinching feeling that suddenly erupted at the base of her neck. With a crease in her brow she reached up and brushed her fingers over the newly found object, "What th-" Her breathing slipped becoming labored, her vision blurring as the world around her began spinning. "Re-" She called as she pulled the small arrow like object out of her neck. "R-"

The Queen turned to Peyton's weakly slurred attempts at saying her name to find the woman halfway in a head first dive to the ground.

"Now!" Snow yelled.

Peyton fought as best she could to get some kind of response out of her body as she watched the Blue Fairy swoop down from the tree tops throwing fairy dust over the Queen to immobilize her and Charming stepping out from behind a tree. Her eyes slipped closed as she heard the final words from Charming leaving her to embrace the darkness.

_**Present**_

"Hey," Peyton greeted the brunette woman from behind the bench over-looking the docks. Nodding to the seat next to Regina she tipped a freshly brewed cup of diner coffee towards her. "I come baring gifts."

"Can't say no to coffee." Regina responded indifferently as she accepted the cup from Peyton as the woman sat down beside her. They sat in silence for the first couple of moments before Regina asked, "How's Ocean?...and Kyler?"

Peyton took a sip of her sweet coffee before answering, "Ocean's great. She's enjoying Henry's book a lot but she kind of misses you. She's been asking Kyler about you a lot."

"And Kyler?" Regina asked once again in a low whisper.

"She's...coping." Turning to face Regina, she offered up a weak smile. "She misses you, I can see she does. She get's this frown on her face every time something accidentally reminds her of you." She added with a light chuckle, "It's quite endearing actually." _Maybe too much so _Peyton kicked that thought with a forced smile.

Regina nodded with a chuckle of her own. "It forms this tiny dimple in the corner of her mouth."

Peyton nodded and forced a chuckle for Regina's benefit. She had seen it numerous times since Kyler had been staying with her, it was cute and it had made not kissing her extremely difficult in the past few days, but her resolve was strong, she wouldn't and couldn't do anything with Kyler ever again. Her chest had burned with pain and thudded against the bones of her rib cage in protest, every time she tried to help Kyler to forgive Regina. Every time she did something in the name of getting those two women back together. Sometimes happy endings just weren't for everyone, but, god knew Regina deserved one more than anyone else and if it just happened to be at the cost of her own - then yes she would let go, let go and survive.

Regina caught the far off look in her present company's eyes and the small frown that had fallen upon her face. "What?"

Peyton's head snapped around to face Regina, offering her a tight smile. "Nothing, just thinking how far things have come."

Regina snorted at the thought. "Really? Things have only seemed to get worse for me. Call it self-pity if you want but it's true. The only good thing in my life right now is that I can count on your friendship." Regina gave her a warm smile something that was very rarely ever used. "I can always trust you."

Peyton gave her a weak smile back before turning to look out over the water. She had contemplated telling Regina about that night, more so in the past few days, guiltily because she wanted to see Regina and Kyler apart from one another, to give herself a chance. But now...now she just felt guilty for hiding something from the one woman who had never done her any harm.

Turning to face her. Mind made up, Peyton steeled herself for Regina's reaction as she drew up the courage to open her mouth. "Regina I have to tell you something."

Regina's smile fell. "Let me guess, you were wrong to support me and you feel guilty for leading me on and pretending to be my friend?" Squaring her shoulders and her expression Regina shrugged, "Don't worry dear, it's not that much of a surprise. Actually, I pretty much saw it coming."

Peyton shook her head laying her hand on Regina's arm. "No it's not that. Regina-" Peyton's smile was full of promise, "I will always be your friend, no matter what. We made a pact before we stormed Snow's castle. Remember what it was?"

"To the end." Regina smiled faintly at the memory, "You were always so loyal to me. I could never understand why. But, I owe you. I owe you more then I could ever repay."

Peyton's smile faltered as she retracted her hand. "Remember that when I tell you what I'm going to tell you."

Regina's brow furrowed. "It can't be that bad can it dear?"

Swallowing the last of the resistance in her body she blurted out quickly. Ripping it of much like a band-aid, "I slept Kyler." There she said it but the weight she had expected to vanish from her shoulders only increased tenfold at the frozen shocked looking woman across from her.

Regina blinked a few times trying to process what she had just been told as she stared blankly at Peyton, the one person she had trusted more than anyone else. Turning away from her Regina stared out over the ocean, unsure what to do or say.

Peyton glanced down at her fidgeting hands closed around the lukewarm Styrofoam cup. "Regina, say something please?" After a few moments, Peyton looked up to find Regina getting to her feet, her coffee long forgotten. Jumping to her own feet she followed the former Queen a few steps alongside the docks. "Regina, please!"

Regina spun to face her, her glare cold and her body rigid with fury. "What? What exactly do you expect me to say? The only reason I'm not incinerating you right now is because at one point in time you were my friend."

"I still am Regina."

"You want me to forgive you is that it?" Regina asked in disbelief, her voice rising.

"No. I want you to tell me that everything will be alright in the end." Peyton pleaded reaching out to bring her friend back from whatever remote part of Regina the woman had buried her in, "Please."

Jerking back Regina regarded her with a warning tone. "Don't touch me."

"What can I do to make it alright?"

"Alright?" Regina scoffed at the thought. "You slept with my fiancée and you want to make it alright?"

"Sorry won't cut it here Regina. So tell what can I do?" Peyton asked, her hand snapping out to grab hold of Regina's arm. "I'm begging here, I'll get down on my hands and knees to beg you if that's what you want."

Regina wrenched her arm back but Peyton's grip was secured tightly around her arm. With a growl her temper snapped, "I said don't touch me!"

"Hey!"

To Regina it was all a blur what came next as she watched Peyton suddenly become dislodged from her arm as a blonde form spear tackled the woman of the edge of the docks and into the frigid water below, only to surface a few seconds later. Regina's surprise quickly skipped to concern as she extended her hand to help both the blonde and Peyton out of the water.

"What the hell?" Peyton sputtered to the blonde once she had clambered to her feet soaking to the brim with sea water.

"You should count yourself lucky I didn't deck you." Emma retorted back with a harsh glare as she spat the salty water from her mouth back into the ocean.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Emma spun around to face the shocked looking blonde, "You I will deck." She confirmed as she took a step forward ready to go through with it.

Regina halted her with pleading eyes and a hand on her arm. "Emma, please."

With a deep breath Emma conceded and took a step back, cementing her presence beside Regina.

Turning to face her former fiancée, she regarded her with one simple question that held so much. "Before or after?"

Kyler's brow furrowed in confusion for the first few seconds before her eyes landed on the guilty looking Peyton and the pained looking Regina. It wouldn't have taken a genius to gather what had occurred. "Regina, I can expla-" Kyler started with a step towards the woman.

Regina gripped Emma's arm tighter as she took a step backwards. More determined to hear the answer she had a feeling she already knew. "Before or after?"

"Would it make a difference?" Peyton responded.

Regina closed her eyes for once in so long allowing the pain to settle in her heart. She hadn't felt like this in ten years, she had sworn to herself she would do whatever she had to, to protect herself from feeling the pain of such worthlessness and betrayal but it seemed that one could not control what one felt.

"Regina?"

Regina turned to face the blonde she now had a death grip on. "I'm sorry Emma." She released the blondes arm and quickly started down the street away from the three women she had let in and had all come to destroy her in one way or another.

**Hope you enjoyed.**


	13. I'll Be Coming Around

**Thanks to all the reviews I got and the followers and all the favorites I received. It's great to know that there are people out there that seem to be enjoying this. Also, sorry for the late chapter but here it is.**

**XXX**

_**FairyTale Land**_

Peyton woke to the taste of fresh dirt, the smell of a wet dog, the sound of barking, the feeling of a slobbery wet tongue running up her face and the sight of a polka dotted dog hovering above her with its worried brown eyes peering down at her as it continued licking and barking like mad.

Peyton scrunched up her face as the dog took another lick to it, its slimy saliva leaving a trail of sticky moisture up her cheek. "Argh god I'm awake." She groused and groaned a few more times as she pushed herself to her feet as the dog sat obediently down next to her and admirably stared up at her as if awaiting a command.

Peyton glanced down at the dog and gave a small smile at the sight of it. _Cute _she thought. "What's your name, huh boy?" She asked in a whisper as she knelt back down in the dirt and rubbed at the top of the dogs head whilst searching for a name tag of any kind. "Pongo huh?" She answered herself as she read the heavily engraved letters from a piece of wood hanging from the dog's neck as the animal happily yapped back at her as if agreeing with her.

Peyton released the dog's tag and continued ruffling its fur on the top of its head as she took a gander of her surroundings. She appeared to be in the same spot as she had been the moment the arrow tip had pierced her skin through her armor. She reached down with her free hand and filtered through the dirt with her fingers until an arrow tip appeared. Thankfully her armor had served her well as it had prevented the arrow tip from creating a fatal wound. The tip however had gone far enough past her armor to pierce skin and by the looks of the green covered tip, it had been coated in something. Dropping the tip back on the ground she took one more look around, noting that not only was the horses gone but the Queen as well. She had probably been left to die by the White Queen and her Prince Charming.

Peyton jerked and jumped to her feet when the dog's ears cocked slightly to the sound of heavy metal boots pounding against earth. Peyton reached for her sword, pulling it from the sheath all while grateful that Snow and Charming hadn't removed them from her - but that depended on whether or not the green stuff on the tip of the arrow was supposed to have killed her or not.

"Come out where I can see you!" Peyton called.

"Ma'am?" The voice called back and Peyton sighed in relief, lowering the sword to the ground as Beirand stepped out from behind the trees.

She turned her attention back to the dog for a quick pat to calm the growling animal, "I don't suppose you know where the Queen is?"

"Snow White has her." Beirand responded with ease.

"Where?" Peyton questioned the man.

"The White Castle."

Peyton drew her lower lip in between her teeth and nibbled lightly in thought. She knew exactly what would happen to the Queen now that she was in Snow White's territory. The Queen would be set to see execution, something Peyton refused to allow to happen.

Jaw set, Peyton's eyes flashed with determination. "Gather the Praetorian's." She straightened, sheathing her sword. "We're going to retrieve a Queen."

_**Present**_

The apartment door swung open as Kyler entered, Peyton following behind shutting the door behind them as they stepped into her apartment.

"Why?"

Peyton dropped her keys onto the small table next to the door rubbing a hand over her face in hopes to erase the tension forming in her body and her still sore ribs from the Sheriff's sudden yet expertly exercised tackle. Looking up Peyton took in Kyler's questioning expression before sighing, "Why what?"

"Why tell her? It's my job to tell her."

"And you looked like you were getting around to it," Peyton mumbled under her breath.

"What?"

Sighing once again Peyton stepped around the blonde and behind the kitchen counter to retrieve a glass from one of the cupboards. "She deserved to know."

"Yes she did but I should've been the one to tell her."

Peyton spun on her heel in a quick pivot to face Kyler. "And when exactly were you going to get around to that? It was nearly five nights ago. What? You think everything would just go back to normal after _we _fucked? Did you really think you could just go back to your home with Regina and expect me to-" Peyton snapped her mouth shut, squeezed her eyes closed and turned away bracing herself against the kitchen counter. "This is ridiculous." Peyton said with an exasperated sigh.

"You're right," Kyler responded in a hushed whisper looking down at her shuffling feet with embarrassment on her face. "I-I didn't think."

Peyton glanced up at the suddenly unsettled woman. She didn't resemble the usual Kyler Haevan that she had seen in the past few days. She didn't resemble the woman that she had spent the past few days playing family with. It felt nauseating. If felt - wrong.

_**Two Days Before**_

Peyton bit the bottom of her lip to keep the sounds of hysterical chuckling at bay while using her hand to cover the little girl on top of her laughter. Ocean felt the hand slip across her mouth and glanced up crookedly to find Peyton with a finger to her trembling lips in the small cramped space looking uncomfortable and squished, it made Ocean chuckle harder.

Peyton could just barely see Kyler from where she was trapped underneath the little girl in the massive puzzle box she kept at the end of her bed where she herself and Ocean were now trapped, squished together in what was coming on to being a forty-five minute game of hide and seek.

Kyler counted to three, yanked open the closet ready to surprise the two girls she was looking for only to find it empty save for clothes and shoes belonging to the woman she was staying with. Her brow crinkled as frown lines formed on her forehead. For a good ten minutes now she had been looking for them - the apartment wasn't that big but it was big enough for a mini game of hide and seek. However after playing for over thirty minutes, Kyler had declared that there where surely no more places left to hide but Ocean had declared differently, telling the two women that she had the ultimate hiding spot and that she would never find her, once that had been said the little girl had taken Peyton's hand and drag her away, Peyton hesitantly following along behind.

Kyler smiled at the flash of panic that had crossed brown haired woman's face as she followed after the little girl that clutched her hand tightly and dragged her away. At first Peyton had been hesitant to go anywhere near the girl or feed the girl anything that was cooked in her kitchen which had led to either Peyton or Kyler making more than a few trips a day to Granny's to purchase food. The woman had looked panicked since Ocean had arrived and appeared afraid to touch the small twelve year old girl in fear she would break. It had taken some reassurance that Ocean wasn't fine china, more valuable - yes, but not as breakable and although Peyton had become comfortable with Ocean it was still plainly obvious that she was scared.

Kyler dropped down to her knees, lifted up the covers that slipped over the side of the bed and hid the underside to the mattress. She scanned the empty dark under the bed that felt so cold and lonely something that she had always seen in Regina's eyes. With a sigh she sat back on her heels. Shaking her head at the thoughts she returned to the game and it really did seem that Ocean had found the ultimate hiding spot after all. As Kyler stood she heard a clatter and bang that emanated from the end of the bed followed by an 'ow' and a small child's chuckle. With a smile plastered on her face Kyler stepped over to the large box at the end of the bed. She peeled the lid away revealing a chuckling blonde haired girl whose hair looked to be getting darker and a mousy brown haired woman whose face was screwed up in pain as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Found you," Kyler told them.

At being found Ocean began laughing even harder. "Pey..Peyt..." she tried to get out between fits of laughter.

Kyler smiled at her daughter who was nearly in tears from laughing. Finding sympathy for the woman underneath her daughter she reached into the box and peeled the small girl away from the pain induced woman. "You okay?" Kyler asked worried.

Peyton nodded with a smile in Ocean's direction. "Yeah, just tried to get comfy and my head ended up paying the price." She answered.

Kyler let out a small chuckle at the thought of Ocean and Peyton squished together as they hid from her. She placed her daughter on the ground and caught sight of the girl smoothing out her clothes much like she knew Regina did. Turning back Kyler offered her hand to Peyton who accepted it and together they managed to pull her out of the box. "What in the world possessed you to get into that box?" Kyler asked incredulously with a lopsided grin.

Peyton shrugged, "A small little girl with the most innocent and childlike puppy dog eyes."

Kyler laughed wholeheartedly at the despondent look on the woman's face. "You mean she manipulated you?"

Peyton pouted but nodded, conceding that yes she had in fact been bested by a twelve year old girl. She had beaten numerous soldiers, garrisons and the best knights around. She had even faced down a Praetorian and yet she was bested by a twelve year old. Her lips upturned into a smile when the hand that Kyler had used to pull her out of the box was still clasped to one another and was given a small squeeze by the blonde as a thumb ran over the back of her hand. Peyton glanced down at the hand between them and as if finally realizing what she was doing the hand that had helped her up was quickly wrenched away and the woman before her offering a small sheepish smile in place of it.

It hit Peyton like a ton of bricks, like a falling building tumbling down around her. She caught Ocean's movements as the girl tried rearranging her outfit. Turning back to Kyler, Peyton offered a small smile and a sad, weak response. "Well, she is after Regina's kid as well."

_**Present**_

"Mom!"

Regina pulled to a stop in the diner entryway as she caught sight of the small form of a girl barreling towards her with arms wide open. A smile tugged at the corners of Regina's lips as she caught the girl whose body collided with hers much resembling a football tackle. Regina grunted a little at the sudden impact but quickly recovered and enveloped the girl in her arms with a kiss to the top of her head.

Ocean pulled back but still kept her arms around her mother's waist. She peered up through strands of darkening blonde. "When are me and Mommy coming home?"

Regina's chest squeezed at the innocent question posed by her twelve year old daughter who right in this moment resembled a much younger child. Regina brushed a strand away from Ocean's eyes. "It's complicated right now, sweetheart."

Ocean pulled away and pouted something she never really did often unless it had to do with something that had been rolling around in her head for a while and she still hadn't been able to make heads or tails of it.

Regina pulled Ocean away from the diner doorway before bending down to the little girl's level. "What's up sweetheart?"

Ocean shrugged turning her head away from one of her mothers.

Regina slipped her finger underneath her daughter's chin, turning the girls head back to face her. "You know you can tell me absolutely anything, right?"

Ocean nodded but still refused to speak.

Regina pressed on with a frown on her lips. "So what's wrong sweetie?"

Ocean nibbled on her lip for a few seconds before looking up at her brunette mother. "I made a friend at the park yesterday."

Regina smiled brightly, "Well that's nice. What's his name?"

Ocean's eyes brightened immediately. "Her names Tucker!" Ocean smiled warmly tugging on her mother's arm her previous problem forgotten for now. "I want you to meet her."

Regina followed along with a happy smile as she was dragged to one of the booths that Henry sat in with a little girl across from him.

Henry smiled up at his mother upon recognition. "Hey Mom," Henry said as Ocean released Regina's hand and slid in next to the little girl, leaving the spot next to Henry empty.

Regina held up her hand to Henry and quickly corrected him, "Regina, please." She told him catching the small flash of sadness and pain behind his eyes however he nodded and corrected himself with a small 'Regina' before turning back to the two little girls. Regina had promised Henry that they would try but she couldn't deal with having two kids who called her Mom and neither of them lived with her. She could only deal with one problem at a time and Henry - Henry would take time.

Ocean nudged the little girl beside's her. "This is my other Mom, Regina."

The little girl peered up from underneath her mass of dark brown hair and gave Regina a small smile and nod before glancing back down at her small cheese burger in front of her. A large basket of fries sat in the middle of the table and looked to already be half gone.

"Ocean told me your name is Tucker?"

The small girl nodded and peered once again up through her dark brown locks. "Yes, ma'am," She replied quietly.

Regina shook her head and offered a small chuckle. "Regina is okay Tucker."

Tucker nodded. "Yes, ma'am," She offered quieter then the last time.

Regina looked over to Henry who gave a clueless shrug back to his mother. She filed the little girl's attitude away as shyness.

"You want something to eat, Mom?" Ocean asked.

Regina smiled softly at the girl. "Sure."

For the next twenty minutes they all sat together chatting with one another while Tucker remained silent only speaking when someone asked her a direct question or wanted her opinion which Regina noted she tried to remain neutral on. She found it somewhat strange but didn't question the girl on it and continued enjoying her lunch with them ignoring the numerous messages that she was receiving and had received from Emma, Peyton and even a couple from Kyler. In those few minutes in which she sat with Henry, Ocean and Tucker she could forget the world, fairytales, liars, cheaters and pain. So - so much pain could be forgotten in those few minutes. But one always had to come back down to Earth eventually; one always had to face reality.

Regina reached for her purse only to be stopped by a hand on her arm and a warm smile from the young man beside her.

Henry beamed at her and waved Ruby over for the check. "It's okay Mo-Regina," he quickly corrected his mistake upon the frown on Regina's face. "I offered to pay for the girl's lunch. I got this."

"You offered?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow.

Henry nodded, "Yeah they were in the diner when I came in, so I sat with them. Ruby said that Kyler had dropped Ocean off, I think she was looking for you."

"I think she found me." Regina muttered remembering back to the docks scene only hours' earlier, she shook her head and offered him a small smile. "Thank you for doing that."

"I figured Ocean should keep the money Kyler gave her in case she needed something." Henry offered another shrug as Ruby handed the check over to him and handed the girls a free ice-cream.

Ruby turned her attention to the former Evil Queen slash former Mayor. Accepting the money from Henry she gave the woman a genuine smile, "It's good to see you again Regina." With that said she started back towards the counter and register.

Regina blinked a few times at the retreating woman's back. She had never actually had a conversation with the werewolf but when she did on more than one occasion she had been more then unpleasant to the woman and yet there she had stood telling her it was a pleasure to see her. Regina's lips tipped into the form of a frown - here she was yet again being forced back into the past. It was all coming back to bite her now. Every part of it, all that guilt. She was headed for a massive crash and burn.

_**FairyTale Land**_

Peyton glanced at the assortment of Praetorian's gathered around Aslan's Table. There were only few Praetorian's left in existence; once the mightiest of assassin's, thieves' and spies they where diminished to nothing over time. At one point in time they had controlled order, they had made the rules. They where the true rulers of all lands. They had made sure that no one stepped out of line. A King - or in this instance a Queen could not be subjected to execution without a fair trial and without the execution being held on neutral land. This had stopped wars for centuries but over time many King's and Queen's had abandoned many of the old ways to get what they wanted. Eventually the Praetorian's had dwindled down to nothing but a few thousand spread over endless lands from the hundreds of thousand they used to be - they were now next to nothing.

Peyton had heard of them as a young child and had always been fascinated by the stories told of the great powers Praetorian's held to travel lands and to control Dragon's. At one point she had even heard that they had the power to travel realm's with the blink of an eye - but that was one she had never believed. It was impossible to do such a thing. Even the greatest of wizards, witches and warlocks could do no such thing. But now standing here in front of these men and women, she wasn't so sure.

Beirand cleared his throat behind his Captain drawing her attention to the awaiting eight and him. Peyton gave him a curt nod before turning to the three women, five men and away from Beirand. "The Queen has been taken by Snow White." She waited a beat for anything. Silence surrounded her as well as masked expressions that bore into her very soul. "They plan to execute her in the White Land's."

A aging man with a graying beard straightened his back before speaking. "And you called for us, why?"

"It goes against what you stand for." Beirand answered for his Captain.

The man scoffed. "Then you have certainly been given false information."

A woman a few Praetorian's down with sharp black hair, lent heavily against the table and turned to face the man with a cold, hard voice. "Lie to them if you must Erik," she told him with a wave of her hand in the direction of Peyton and Beirand before thrusting a finger at her own chest. "But do not lie to me and expect me to remain to silent."

"This is the Evil Queen we are talking about." Erik responded earning a nod from two of the other Praetorian's.

Peyton snapped her head around to the man she now knew as Erik as she reached across the table and curled her fingers into the man's tight brown shirt that stretched thin over layers of muscles. She pulled him over the table meeting him halfway. With cold eyes she responded to his 'Evil Queen' talk. "You are speaking about my Queen there."

"An Evil Queen," he said calmly and coldly back to her.

Her grip tightened in his clothes. "The rightful Queen to the throne, she was married to the King and after his death she is the one legally allowed to take it. So if you should have a problem with anyone it should be Snow White."

He glared back at her. "From what I hear his death wasn't so much an accident as your Queen would have people believe."

Peyton released her grip on the man with a rather rough shove that sent him stumbling backwards. "You know nothing behind his death. Perhaps you should dig a little deeper before laying the blame." She glared at the man adjusting his clothes across the table, "And next time you feel the need to speak out of line against my Queen it won't matter to me whether you are a mere peasant or a Praetorian, I will kill you."

The woman from before spoke up again. "Brave words, many fear us and would never threaten us."

Peyton turned her attention away from Erik to face the woman, her cold tone still in place. "Many can't seem to separate admiration from fear." Peyton tilted her, "But there is a difference. I admire you," turning back to Erik she leaned heavily against the table keeping her gaze locked with the man's. "But make no mistake. I do not fear you."

_**Present**_

Regina pulled the car up against the curb and turned to face the dreary house that looked run down. With a crease in her brow she turned in the driver's seat to face the young girl who was already grabbing her bag, unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching for the handle. "Are you sure this is where you live Tucker?" The little girl nodded, mumbled a 'thank you' and quickly clambered out of the car. Regina turned to face her daughter. "Wait here."

Ocean nodded with a wave to Tucker who smiled lightly before rounding the car to the path. Regina climbed out after Tucker and quickly caught the girl with her hand. "Are you sure?" She asked again. She received another nod before sighing, "Very well. I'll walk you to your door." Regina started up the path only to be brought to a sudden stop when a small hand found its way onto her wrist with a small tug. Regina turned to face the young girl to find a pale face staring up at her in fright.

Tucker shook her head. "I can walk myself. Thank you. I'll be fine." She spoke quickly.

Regina hesitated. "Is everything alright?"

The girl nodded eagerly. "My parent's won't like it if they found out a stranger took me home."

Regina frowned but caught the expression of fear in the girl's eyes and finally conceded. Lie or not the girl seemed fearful enough. Regina made a silent vowel to herself to do some research on Tucker. "Very well," With a glance back at Ocean she sighed before turning back to Tucker reaching into her purse she pulled out a small sticky note pad and a pen. On one of the yellow slips she scribbled down her number, tore it off and handed it over to the small girl. "If you need anything at all, just call okay?"

Tucker nodded taking the yellow slip. "Thank you." She said softly before making her way up the footpath.

Regina waited until the little girl disappeared behind the cracked wooden door. Even then she waited a few more moments before sighing and getting back into her car with a frowning Ocean staring out the window after her friend. The sudden drop in mood was not lost on Regina and for once she knew it had nothing to do with her.

_**FairyTale Land**_

"Why should we help you? The Praetorian's haven't stepped into the middle of a war in centuries." A man in his mid forties named Istvan spoke. "They don't follow our laws. Our customs."

"Your rules?" Peyton questioned with disdain. Although the Praetorian's had rules and laws back in the old days that many followed, they were also know for dealing out harsh consequences for those that didn't follow their 'laws'. Death was by far the best consequence one could wish for.

Victoria, the woman from before shook her head sadly. "Call it what you would but Istvan is right." She conceded with a sad tone. "They will not follow us or our laws."

"Then we force them to. You guy's used to stand for something." Beirand spoke behind Peyton.

Sera and Serenity, twin sisters shared a look before turning to face the man and woman in heavy knight uniform's. "You're right."

Victoria frowned as she questioned the sisters. "You agree to this?"

"I vote we rescue the Queen." Sera nodded.

"But she is the Evil Queen." Zabel spoke from his spot beside Istvan.

Serenity raised her hand. "Evil or not we used to stand for something. We used to have laws. Evil or not, one could not be executed without a fair trial."

Erik scoffed not bothering to hide his dislike for the way this conversation was going or for the Queen. "That was years ago."

Victoria sighed loudly before speaking. "Let's hold to a vote." She turned to the sisters, "Sera, Serenity?"

"Rescue the Queen." Sera repeated.

"I concur." Serenity answered.

Victoria nodded turned to face Istvan, Bryant, Zabel and Erik.

Istvan frowned and shook his head. "She brought this on herself."

Zabel and Erik nodded in agreement. "We're with Istvan." Erik answered for himself and the red head Praetorian beside Istvan.

"Bryant?"

Bryant shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure. Part of me believes we should save the Queen. It's the right thing to do. But part of me also agrees that yes she brought this on herself-"

"Partly," Peyton interrupted. "You don't know enough about Snow White's and The Queen's past to lay judgment."

Bryant nodded. "She is correct. I remain on neutral ground."

Victoria's lips formed a frown. "I say we rescue her."

"So we're at ends?" Beirand asked, "Three for three."

Victoria shook her head and turned to face the form of one of the Praetorian's that sat up on a few barrels, feet resting in front them and arms folded across their chest. A hood covered their face along with a mask that shielded them from the view of the outside world. "Zeal?"

The Praetorian looked up, tilted their head to the side and took a few moments to answer and even then it was just a nod to show their support to a side.

Victoria drew in a breath and turned back to Peyton. "Prepare yourselves. We leave tonight."

Erik sighed loudly. "We are making a mistake."

"Perhaps." Victoria whispered lightly.

_**Present**_

Regina raised her hand and reluctantly tapped on the door. A few moments later and after the sounds of pots and pans clattering to the ground, the door was thrown open to reveal Peyton in a pair of jeans and a red shirt, her hair pulled back into a harried ponytail.

"Hi." Peyton breathed out after her initial surprise, a small smile on her lips.

Regina nodded down to Ocean. "I was just bringing her back. I figured Kyler wouldn't like it if she stayed with me."

Peyton smiled down at the girl, "Hey Ocean."

"Hey Peyton," Ocean gave a small smile to the woman and turned to Regina hugging her mother tightly before retreating inside with a small 'goodbye'.

Peyton followed the girl with her eyes for a few moments with a frown on her face before turning to Regina. "Kyler was actually fine with it. Ruby had called her and told her that she was with you."

Regina's demeanor went cold. Ruby had the gall to call and tell Kyler that she was hanging out with her daughter. Perhaps Ocean may not have been hers biologically but in some way that girl was her daughter. Ruby had no right.

As if knowing what was going through her mind Peyton held up her hands, "Don't worry Ruby said that you guys were having fun and sought of convinced Kyler that she needn't worry." Peyton frowned, "That didn't come out right. She knows you wouldn't hurt her." Peyton sighed at the words coming out of her mouth, "I should just shut up nothing that I mean is coming out the right way."

Regina didn't say anything for a few moments before nodding and turning on her heel.

"Wait, Regina. If you want to speak to Kyler she should be back in a few minutes. She just went out to get some pineapple for the pizza we're making."

Regina pulled to a stop and turned to face Peyton, a hurt expression falling onto her features. "Out of everywhere she could've gone after our argument. Out of every place she could have stayed, she decided to stay with the woman she slept with. She came back to you."

"You went back to Emma," the reply shot out of Peyton's mouth before she could stop it.

Regina froze immediately at the woman's words before hardening her tone. "I didn't sleep with Emma." She spun on her heel and started for the stairs.

"Wait! Regina, I didn't mean it like that." She called after the woman who was already near the base of the stairs. The brunette refused to turn around and face her as she pulled the door open and stepped out of the apartment building.

Regina stepped out into the cool night air taking a lung full of the fresh oxygen. It was both painful and beautiful to be filled with its essence.

"Hey."

Regina jerked slightly before turning to the voice. She pulled back, straightened her back and folded her arms over her chest in a protective manner. She couldn't let anything penetrate her once again, it was too much pain and pain led to hurt and hurt led to her acting out. Something she couldn't - wouldn't do no more.

"You don't need to do that you know?" The woman said with a nod at the brunette's protective stance.

"Do what?" Regina said with a slight hint of vulnerability as she stood there before Kyler.

"Protect yourself." Kyler answered immediately, taking a step forward towards Regina. "You don't have to protect yourself from me."

"Contrary to what you believe, I would say otherwise." Regina told her, "The evidence before me would suggest I do in fact have to protect myself from you."

Kyler sighed and reluctantly took a step back. "Ocean would like to see you."

Regina offered a forced smile. "And you'd allow me to? Even though you know who I am?"

Kyler frowned but understood where Regina's malice was coming from. "I was thinking tomorrow. She could spend the day with you?"

"What?" Regina's eyes flashed, "So you and Peyton could spend the day screwing each other?" Regina caught the wince that flashed across Kyler's face.

"I deserved that."

Regina sighed and shook her head, ducking it she shifted from one foot to the other. "Perhaps," she spoke. "But I deserve more than that."

"Reg-" Kyler started only to be interrupted by the brunette.

"I'll pick her up at nine." Regina uncrossed her arms and retreated to the safety of her car that sat by the curb. She retreated to the solitary silence inside the vehicle something that was both comforting and suffocating. Something she was slowly coming to recognize as her life. Her phone lit up with her and vibrated on the console. A glance at the screen told her who the caller was – _Emma Swan_. Regina frowned, she wanted nothing more than to answer but the past few days had brought back more pain than anything and right now, she just wanted it to stop. Closing her eyes she hit the _decline _button and slipped the keys into the ignition revving the car to life. Something she felt very little of nowadays.

**I'll tell you now that there are a few chapters left in this story. All will be resolved. Hope you all enjoyed.**


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